I love you, Dear Commoner
by InLoveWithJesse
Summary: A young county king called Hector de Silva finds himself falling in love with a commoner, who is engaged already to a fiendish man. But why are strange visions haunting their minds, and turning them into people they're not, trapped in the faraway past?
1. Chapter 1

"Your majesty?" I looked up from the novel I was reading. "Yes, Clemmings?" I asked, the bald fat man looking at me admiringly. "Ms. de Silva is here." I shut the novel. Clearly, I frowned upon marrying my own cousin. But at least Maria was a good woman, as far as I know. "Yes, Clemmings. Bring her in." The bald man nodded and bowed to me, and then gestured to someone standing beside him in the hall.

"Hello, Hector. Lovely to see you again," Maria sat in the chair beside my desk. "I wanted to speak to you, Hector. It is about your - and soon to be my - people. They seem to resent me." Maria adjusted her skirt and frowned to me. "I must prove to be one of they're own. Even if I _am_ greater than them. We do not want our very own revolution, now do we, Hector?" I nodded to her. "Yes, Maria. What do you propose to do?" Maria glared at me in disbelief. "Go to the town market, of course. Buy oranges and cloth, like all of the villagers. This way, we will prove ourselves one of them. Just fetch the carriage and we'll be on our way."

I rose from my seat, and called Clemmings. He appeared a moment later. "Yes, your majesty?" He asked, hanging his head from the edge of the door. "Fetch the carriage, will you? We are headed to the town market." He bowed again, and a second later we were in the carriage.

"It is a lovely day, it is. Isn't it, Hector?" I was looking out the small window at the edge of the carriage. People were running toward it, trying to catch a sight of the king and future queen together. That was until not a moment later, we were at the entrance of the town market, and people were running all over, carrying baskets and bags filled with merchandise, offering them to bystanders. I was only in the town market several times in my life, and Maria was never in it, once in her life. She was never out of her home, where the butler would care about fetching food from the market. She was never in need to go there. I went there only to find peace in the world out side of the balls and the bowings. It was rather nice to find some place more… kind.

The door to the carriage opened, and people were running toward it, asking us to buy their merchandise, maybe spare them a pound?

I left the carriage and headed to the fish merchants. They were selling fish of all kinds, though rather dirty and possibly not very fresh, but I didn't mind. It was ravishing to see my people manage their own business, like I always wanted to do but never did. Maria didn't seem to agree. She was frowning upon the villagers asking her to buy apples, and just continued walking, to the cloth merchants, when I tripped, from an unseen reason.

When I opened my eyes and stood up, I saw it was a young lady, who kneeled to pick up a carpet she had dropped, while another young woman urged her to stand up and carry it already. The lady rose to her feet and apologized. It was only then when I noticed how beautiful she was, though, unlike Maria and my sisters; she was wearing simply a cheap, tattered, grey dress. She was definitely a villager.

"I am so, so, so sorry, your majesty," She said, bowing. "No need to bow, Miss…" I asked her her name. She was gorgeous. Her chestnut hair flew and curled on her chest, and her beautiful face looked as if it was sculpted by angels, those full lips, those green, enchanting eyes…

"Miss Simon. Susannah Simon."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everybody! Thanks, I loved the reviews. It was real flattering. Hope you'll like the next chapter.**

"Hector!" Maria's scream woke me from my daze, looking at this Susannah Simon. There was no doubt; Maria didn't hold a candle to her. Sure, Maria was pretty. But not nearly as pretty as Susannah. Susannah was… beautiful, in a simple way. It was refreshing to see a woman as beautiful as her with no giant diamond necklaces and rings to cover it all. Her simplicity was what made me swoon, until Maria came running toward me.

"Hector, we must leave _now_," Maria hollered, grabbing my arm. "This place is disgusting. God forbid we should stay here for another second. Those beggars don't _deserve_ for someone nearly as respectful as I to spare them a pound. Come now."

"Maria, you don't mind if I will stay here for a tad more, do you? I rather enjoy it here." Maria glared at me as if I was a fish riding a bicycle, she was that surprised. But she quickly came around. "Very well. Though I am not waiting for you, Hector. You have no choice but to return on your own, if you choose to stay. I am leaving. Good bye." She left, as I muttered "Good bye" in reply.

"So long Your Majesty…" Susannah said, lifting the carpet she had dropped and starting to move along, but then I stopped her.

"Miss Simon, let me give you a hand…" I said, helping her carry the carpet, which, surprisingly enough for me, was quite heavy. "Oh no," She exclaimed,. "I could very well do this on my own, your majesty, there is much more for a king than to carry a carpet." She pulled the carpet away from me, but I protested, which caused the carpet to fall again and spread open on the ground.

"Oh, dear," She exclaimed, kneeling again and rolling the carpet back, while I also kneeled next to her and helped her.

"Really, Miss Simon, let me help you carry this. I truly want to help, and finally doing something without the help of any servants or chambermaids is refreshment," I said to her, while she has already lifted the carpet back to her hands, struggling to carry it on her own. The other young woman who helped her carry the carpet had gone off to buy vegetables, so it seemed.

"I assume it would be better for someone to assist me," she said, "but my family will resent me for disrespecting a royal enough to allow him carry a carpet." I grabbed hold of the carpet also. "Miss, for you to refuse my offer to help you is disrespectful enough." She apparently came around when I told her that, since she mumbled "very well" and started walking along the market.

"So, Miss Simon, where am I helping you carry this to?" I asked her, as we maneuvered across the many people walking along the path. "Oh, to my house, Your Majesty. It's not far from the market. And please, call me Susannah." I laughed. "Well, Susannah, please don't call me 'Your Majesty'."

"Well, what do you propose I call you, Your Majesty? _Hector_?" I frowned at that. I am not very fond of anyone calling me _Hector_. I rather like the name my family calls me. "Oh, not Hector," I said, "_Jesse_, please. Please call me Jesse."

She giggled. "_Jesse_? Is that _really_ your name?" She asked, laughing. I suppose that really isn't a name you'd think of for a king. "No, it isn't. It is what you'd call a pet name. My mother and family calls me that. Only Maria, my fiancé, refuses to call me so." She looked away from my face and continued carrying the carpet. We were already at the edge of the market, and headed to a hill. I assumed that one of the houses on the hill belonged to her, which proved to me she wasn't all that as poor as I thought she is. Those houses, the ones on the hill, are far from filthy. They are actually quite nice looking. And large.

It was very quiet the whole time we were climbing that hill. That is, until we arrived to a house, a big, nicely built house, where Susannah had stopped and laid the carpet down.

"Well, my stepbrothers will come out any moment to help me carry it inside. Thank you so very much, _Jesse_, for helping me carry it here, but you should go back to your castle now. Your fiancé must be worried, and my parents won't like it, the very king to help me. Really, thank you. Good bye." I noticed she said my name uncomfortably. It would take time to get used to, I guess.

She was just bowing to me as a man, quite a handsome one, threw opened the door and grinned to Susannah.

"Hello, Susannah," He said. She blushed and looked at her feet.

"Mr. Slater."

**That's it for this chapter. I guess you're guessing who this guy might be, huh? Well, I'll just try to catch Paul's evilness and put it in here good enough. Please review. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everybody! This is the third chapter of the story, and I'm real exited about it. This, at least to me, is shapin' up to be a pretty good story! Hope you'll enjoy it! (By the way, all my apologies for Paul Slater fans. You know, I did try to dial it down on the evilness, but it is pretty hard!)**

"Oh, my dear lord! Am I seeing who I think I'm seeing? Is this the king, standing here with dear old Susannah Simon?" The man kept grinning, wrapping his arm around Susannah's shoulders. "Susie, how did you get to know a royal?" He asked her, and she yanked herself away, and walked toward the door. "Mr. Slater, this is not a good time. And _don't_ call me Susie."

"Please, call me Paul. And, your stepfather forbids me of calling you Suze. He says it's vulgar. And I won't call you Susannah. Not when we are to marry." Susannah's face turned to a violent red. "What?" She asked, well actually, shrieked.

"Andrew!" She ran inside the door. Paul walked in after her, and, me, curios, walked in too and shut the door. Another man, an older one, ran down the stairs and came to Susannah.

"What is it?" He asked, grabbing hold of her arms. "_He_ says we're to marry. He's lying, isn't he? Please, Andrew, tell me he's lying!" Her shrieks were painful to look at. But this Paul fellow just grinned.

"He's not lying, darling -" She cut his words with another shriek. "No!" She let go of him and ran up the stairs. "Mother!" She yelled, and I am sure the entire world heard her. She sounded mortified. And I can see why. Just looking into the face of this Paul, I could tell he was nothing but a bastard. There he was, his fiancé screaming and fearing him with all her might, and he just stood there grinning.

All I could think of to do was wrestle him to the floor and beat him. But I didn't. Oh, I wanted to. But I didn't. That's because the second this Andrew, apparently Susannah's stepfather, noticed me, and immediately forgot about his stepdaughter's nervous breakdown.

"Oh, Your Majesty! My word, is it really you? In my home? Would you like any tea?" I refused, and walked up the stairs, expecting to see Susannah crying, and to comfort her. I do not pretend to be the expert in comforting young girls, but it was the only thing that was on my mind. It really hurt me, seeing her like that, even though I barely knew her.

When I was up stairs, I saw Susannah in a bedroom, sitting on the bed, with her face buried in a woman's lap.

"Susie, I'm sorry, I really am. But he's good for you. And he's rich. I promise you, you will grow to love him," the woman said, though most her words were drowned by the sounds of Susannah's weeping. She then lifted her face from the woman's lap, and just stared at her. "Mother, I won't," She said, after a long silence, "He is the devil. He is awful. All he wants is money. Money and women. He will never make me happy. You can't make me marry him, mother, you just can't!"

"Suze." Paul entered the room. "Ma'am. Suze, please think it over. I can't be that bad, now can I?" He kneeled in front of her, grinning "Oh, yes you can," She said, and then lifted her foot and kicked his gut. He moaned, and she ran to the corridor, where I stood.

"Jesse, Your Majesty, please leave now. Thank you for helping me carry the carpet, but you must leave," she said, while sobbing. Then she ran to another room, and shut the door behind her. I entered the room where Susannah's mother helped Paul up, and called Mr. Slater's name.

The second he rose to his feet and faced me, I grabbed his shoulders and punched him in the nose, making him fall to the floor and moan painfully. It seemed that I have broken his nose.

Hurray.

Trying to hide my worries to Susannah, I walked numbly down the stairs. Her stepfather came running toward me and asked if I will be staying any longer.

I said no.

**Dramatic, huh? I know my chapters are really short. If you want me to make future chapters longer, post it in a review. Hope you like the chapter, updates soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

**You have _no_ idea how happy I was when I read those reviews! My hobby is writing, so finding out I'm good at it is the best I can hear, really, thanks! Enjoy the next chapter:**

When I returned to the palace, on foot, I was dumbstruck. I was barely able to talk. Seeing something like that… A sweet, innocent, good-hearted girl, and that man… I'm not even sure how to describe him. The devil, perhaps? That is how she described him, anyway. And for the first moment I lay eyes on him, I knew she had some reasons to.

But hurt that girl? How could you possibly do that and stay the way he was? That grim? Can you blame me for breaking his nose?

When I got there, the palace, I entered my chamber and sat at my desk, only to be greeted by a very angry Maria, who stormed the chamber and sat in that same chair she sat in earlier that day.

"Hector. For Christ Sake, why did you stay at that pitiful place? So much filth, I have never seen in my life." I didn't answer. It didn't seem so much as useful. She wants to talk, let her talk, I thought. I am not in the mood to talk anyway.

"I see you _are_ stunned. Ha. How couldn't you. Staying at that place as long as you did, and then walking all the way back. Have my advice, Hector, do not go there anymore. It isn't right for you. It isn't right for any royal. That place is not made for royals, Hector. We have people to go and get our merchandise for us. To think _I_ asked to go there… It's-"

I've gotten tired of her complaining. "Maria," I said. "Yes, Hector?" She said, annoyed. "Go." She looked at me, dumbstruck. "Go? Hector, go? But, Hector-"

"Go."

She rose from her chair and walked out of the room. I sat there, and, surprisingly enough for me, I didn't feel half as bad as I would to have insulted Maria. The day before, I would have never said that one word, go. But I did. Why, I'm not sure. I'm not sure about anything that I did that day. Not why I carried that carpet, not why I entered that house, not sure why I didn't stay, not sure why I treated Maria like that, and I was _definitely_ not sure about how I felt.

I am sure about one thing: Something was going on in my head about Susannah. Something I wouldn't have wanted to have gone on. Something taboo, something wrong.

Something about love.

A few seconds later Clemmings got in the room. "Your Majesty, she seemed upset, did she? I suppose you told her you know?" I looked at Clemmings. "I know? What do I know, Clemmings?" He laughed. "About Maria and Diego. I suppose you sent her where she belonged, huh, mate? Should I go and call the wedding off?"

I rose from my seat. "Maria and Diego? What has happened about Maria and Diego that is worth to call off the wedding, Clemmings? I certainly didn't hear anything about Maria and Diego, Clemmings. What is it?" All the color in his face went away, and he was pale as dead. "You, you don't know, do you, Your Majesty? Oh, um, I-"

"What is there to know, Clemmings? Tell me." He sighed. "Well, Your Majesty, there had been… rumors. About Maria and Diego." He stopped and stared at his feet.

"Go on, Clemmings," I said, and started pacing around the chamber. "Well, Jared Cloves saw the two of them at her father's carriage. He wasn't sure but he could tell for a fact that they were sitting close together, and, also, holding hands. And then Emilia Everson heard the two of them talk about some kind of plan, something Diego would do that would put the two together. It is not much evidence, but we suspect…" Clemmings stopped talking again, which was just as well, since I had left the room.

I was strolling down the long corridor, looking at my ancestors' portraits. Amongst them was a portrait of my Father. He was dead for a long time, since I was fourteen. That is when I was forced to be a young king. Now, I was twenty, and about to marry my also royal cousin, Maria. Though, at that moment, I didn't really think I was going to marry her. I was concentrating so intently on what Clemmings said, that I had barely heard a familiar voice behind me. "Your Majesty."

I turned, and my face turned red with anger. Again.

**That's it for this one. I'm sure the story is getting familiar now, isn't it? Well, it'll just get more and more attached to the orginal from now on. Prizes for guessing who's the guy! Neh, just kidding... ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, again! Hope I kept you in suspense… But today you're finding out who is the one who came to the palace, and why did he go there. Enjoy!**

The man let himself in the door to my chamber. Clemmings had already left. It made me quite mad, to be disturbed again. All I wanted was to just there outside. Speaking to _anyone_ made me frown, but since the man seemed to be a priest; I pretended not to be angry at all. Though I still probably looked pretty upset. And it seemed he had noticed.

"I am very sorry to disturb you, Your Majesty. Please, I'd like to speak to you. It's very important." The man was pretty old, I suppose around sixty years old, and had snow white hair and large round glasses.

"Yes, Father. What is it?" I asked him, assuming he is a priest. "Oh, please call me Father Dominic, Your Majesty. And, well… It's about Susannah Simon." The second he said that name, all the anger and sorrow left my face. Instead of thinking about Maria and Diego, what I thought I will be thinking about all day, I thought about Susannah. Her smile, which I only caught a very small glimpse of, was haunting me. Her eyes, those green, enchanting eyes… I have never seen anything like that in my life.

And apparently, a priest has come to talk to me about it.

"She, well, she said you helped carry a carpet to her house today. And then, you entered her house, and you witnessed her while she was told she was to marry the Lord Paul Slater. And, Your Majesty, she…" I looked at him hopefully. Does she feel something about me? Something we both might share? "Yes?" I asked.

"She wants you to help her." I was disappointed. I was hoping him to say, "She is in love with you", though I knew she wasn't. No one falls in love in less than a day. Or do they?

"Help her with what?" I asked. He sighed and looked down. "She wants you to help her _get rid of him_. Well, _not that way_-"

"Get rid of whom, Father? And if not _that way_, then how?" He seemed embarrassed. "She wants you to get rid of Slater. And by, I guess, arranging him with someone else?"

I know I smiled a bit at that. Of course I wanted them not to get married. Her? With him? Of course I wouldn't. Who would?

"Did she… did she send you here?" I asked, and he looked more embarrassed and turned red. "Um… No, not exactly. She told me about it, because, well, I'm her confidante, for reasons you won't understand." I was alarmed. "She wants to be a _nun_?" He laughed. "Oh, no, no, no. Far from that. Seriously, Your Majesty, don't mind that remark. But still, she needs your help. They really are a recipe for disaster," He said.

I heard shouting from the corridor that moment.

"Please, sir, let me see him. He _knows_ me," a woman said, probably talking to Clemmings. Then Clemmings entered the room. "Sir, there is a young lady here to see you. A Miss Susannah Simon." I think I jumped all the way to the five-foot-ceiling then. "Bring her in," I said, and Father Dominic also jumped, as Susannah entered through the door.

"Your Majesty, pardon me - _Father Dominic_? What are you doing in _the king's chamber_?" Father Dominic went to Susannah and grabbed her shoulders, then started steering her out the room. "Susannah, wait just a second, will you? I'm in quite an important conversation that has _absolutely_ no regard to you…" Father Dominic probably couldn't lie very good, because Susannah yanked herself away and said, "Wait." She pointed a finger at him. "You told him, didn't you, Father?" He looked at his feet. "Well, yes, but-"

"Father Dominic!" She wailed. "You promised me you'll keep it to yourself! What kind of a priest are you, not keeping a promise?" I chuckled. It seemed Susannah was very fond of screaming. The amount of times I have seen her screaming in no more than three hours I have actually seen her that day, it was too much.

"I am sorry, Susannah," he said. "But you must know, this is too much to keep to yourself. What you mentioned might just be a good enough idea." She stared at him. "A good idea? An idea I've come up with is good? Wow. The only other time you thought I had a good idea was with that ghost of the little girl-"

"Ghost?" I echoed. I thought I heard her wrong. A _ghost_. A good idea about a _ghost_? Well, of course this caught my mind. And theirs too.

"Oh, she's kidding, Your Majesty… She is being sarcastic. Now, Susannah, it is about time you'd stop being sarcastic, _isn't it_?" She looked embarrassed. "Sure," She said. "That's a good idea."

"What were _you_ doing coming here, Susannah?" The father asked. Her cheeks flamed. "Um, well, I was thinking, er, to, er, tell him, you know, about the idea-"

"You too, Susannah? Really? That doesn't seem like you. You don't go around telling royals to dispatch relationships on a daily basis, now do you?"

"No, I don't, Father Dom. I certainly don't. Just, let me speak with his royal highness for a second, will you?" He smiled as he left the room and closed the door. "Of course, silly girl."

"Um, So, I need to tell you… er, about the idea. The one Father Dominic mentioned." I smiled and sat back in my chair. The one I've jumped up from so many times earlier that day.

"Yes, Susannah. Of course. Go ahead," Father Dominic said. She smiled. "Thank you, Father. _Jesse_," She said. She still had problems calling me so.

"Yes, Susannah. Please, sit," I said. She sat in the chair and looked back to see if he had left the room and had shut the door.

"Yes, Susannah."

She twitched and said, "Well..."

**Well, that's it. Guess what she's telling him and win special future chapter tips (spoilers)! Seriously! The competition starts… NOW. Well, go ahead. Start guessing.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi! Sorry, nobody won the contest…  Well, never mind! Thanks so so so so so so so so so much for the reviews, I never blushed harder in my life! Enjoy **

"Yes, Susannah. Do not be afraid. Tell me what is the matter," I said to Susannah, as she started staring shyly at her knees and playing with her fingertips. It was adorable.

She was adorable. Everything she did was.

"It's hard to say, I mean, you will probably think I'm out of my mind, and I know you will, trust me, you have in the past… Well, I mean, I'm not sure if it's exactly the past-"

"I don't recall ever thinking you were out of your mind, Susannah. To me, at least for now, I think you're perfectly sane-"

"You won't if I tell you. I know it. Though I can't tell you why. 'Cause you'll think I'm nuts."

"'Cause? Nuts? What does that mean, exactly, those phrases?" I asked, and she looked as if she'd made a very big mistake. Maybe she has.

"Because you'll think I'm crazy," She corrected herself. I laughed. "Susannah, I won't think you're crazy. If I would have, it would be the second I met you, since let us face it, Susannah, you are not exactly an ordinary looking young lady-"

"I know. But trust me; my glitch is none of the young - sane - king's business. Let's speak of mine and Father Dom's idea instead." I looked at her, embarrassed. _Glitch_? What does _that _mean?

"What does _glitch_ mean, Susannah?" I asked. She stared at me again, and then rose quickly - too quickly - from her chair and started walking rapidly to the large pine wood door. I followed her and quickly held the latch. "No, Susannah. Something is wrong here, and I have to know it. What is it you're hiding, Susannah? Why is it that you're saying these strange gibberish, and are acting so shy, not the mention that odd smeared accent you're applying suddenly-"

"I'm not _normal_, Jesse."

Those four words shut my lips closed. I paced back to the chair and sat in it, marking her to sit in hers. She sat quietly.

"Why?" I asked. She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed again. She was still scared. "Tell me, Susannah," I said. "I promise I won't think you're crazy. Just say what ever it is you're so scared to say."

"Jesse, I'm not what you think I am. I've… Seen things. And gone places. Places…" She closed her mouth again, and stared shyly at me. "Places not many of this time had gone before."

"What places, Susannah?" I asked, intrigued. "Places… places like… Places like 2005." I didn't understand. "2005, what, Susannah?" I asked.

"The _year_ 2005. Like year 1768, where we are, and that kind of stuff. _Glitch_ means _problem_. That's a certain way to say it… Over there."

"Susannah, are you playing a joke on me?" I asked. "Because as you probably know, traveling through time is not something people can _do_-"

"Paul can do it too. He showed me how. You see, Jesse, me and Paul, we're _mediators_. We can see, feel and speak to the dead-"

"Susannah." I breathed so heavily I felt like I was going to be sick.

"There's more," Susannah said. "I _knew_ you, Jesse. You were _dead_. this Diego guy killed you-"

"Diego?" I rose from my seat. "Yeah. Diego. Felix Diego. You were engaged, and that skank wanted to marry the Diego guy. So she had you killed."

"Susannah, how do you _know_ all these things?" I said the word _know_ in an odd way, since I didn't really believe she _knew_ these things. More like, _thought_ them. But I didn't tell her that.

"It was… it was after you left," she said. "I walked into my room and sobbed on the pillow, and a few minutes later I just lied there and thought of you. And then this kind of silvered light flashed in my head and I saw some really weird stuff. Ever since I talk different, I act different… I _feel_ different."

It's weird to say, but I was starting to believe her. "What did you see, Susannah?" I asked her. "Well, at first, I saw me arriving in this old house, you know, over there. I was wearing pants and everything. That's how women _over_ _there_ dress. And you were sitting in my room. Only, you were wearing different cloths, and, you know, you were dead."

**How couldn't you guess that? It's so easy! Well, whatever. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Updates soon.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sup? It's me! Some chapter this is… Hope you like it, it's tough to write (I also have geography homework - I also have a life!)**

"Dead?" I asked, stunned. "Susannah, what are you talking about? I'm fairly alive-" She laughed. "Of course you are, _now_. Jesse. Believe me. There's more. Much, _much_ more."

"Continue." I said, standing up. I started pacing around the room and running my hand through my hair - what I do when I'm upset.

"Well, we kinda became, you know, really good friends. You helped me fight off all these ghosts - including your crazy knife-wielding ex-girlfriend." I didn't fully understand everything she said, but I let it go. The mere concept was fairly comprehendible.

"Yes. Was there anything else?" She smiled. "Well, yeah. I mean, yes. We… We were… involved." I was confused. "Involved in what, Susannah?" I asked. "Involved," She replied. "Romantically." I stopped pacing, and looked at her, my heart in my throat. "Romantically? But… Weren't I _dead_?" She nodded. "Well, yeah. But we kind of… _liked _each other very much. There were two separate kisses that made us understand. One after I came back from a hospital, you know, I totally got my ass kicked by some quibbled spirits. And the other was in this cemetery… You called me _Querida_." I widened my eyes. "_Querida_? Isn't that Spanish? My ancestors were Spanish. I remember hearing that word, somewhere in my childhood…"

"Yes! That's right! And then we got together… And Paul tried to separate us so he could have me. See, I'm from _here_. Paul isn't. He traveled through time, and he's never really been here. I should have known, how he came out of nowhere…"

"So, you mean, Paul is trying to?" I asked, and she answered quickly, "Separate us. See, our destiny is to get together, Jesse. He wants _him_ and me to get together. That's why he came up with all this money, which he frauded his way to, of course, and asked to marry me. Only, I know what he is, now, Jesse. He has done awful, awful things to you and me in the past - I mean, um, future - and even though he has claimed to lay off after I brought you back to life, he has changed his mind and found the old 1700's me. Now he's trying to prevent you and me to get together, so he can start up with me. He wants me to go back with him, to you know, the future, leave you, and be with him."

I was shocked. I was really starting to believe her. The things she said made a bit of sense, just a bit. But it was enough for me to be persuaded.

"What else, Susannah? What is this about _bringing me back to life_?" I asked. "Well, that's how it went; Paul threatened to come back to where you died, 1850, and save you from dying so you and I never meet. You, Jesse, you wanted to stay. But you were too late. He was already there, so I went with him. And I changed my mind, and we saved you. Jesse, you were alive, just like you are now. But then there was this fire in a barn we were all in and I accidentally held on to you when I shifted-"

Susannah hauled. "Yes. Continue."

"I brought you back. Your spirit, the one who died, reentered you, and you were alive again." My jaw dropped. Something like this was hard to process. I - or my soul, anyway - had been revived by a twenty-first century young woman and her grim admirer. Or at least, I was going to. If I didn't stop it.

"Susannah, why are you telling me this? Right now, you need to be at your house, with the Paul boy, and try to talk him into going back _over there_. Susannah, why have you come?"

"Because I love you."

**Yeah, I know. Shorter than usual. The next chapter will be a flashback chapter, from 'The Future'. Hope you enjoyed this hard written piece! Love ya, Dana.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey everybody! This is an unusual chapter, like a flash-forward (flashback, but to the future). The past Suze is having another vision, about a talk she and Paul were having. Italic is flash-forward. Enjoy!**

_"Paul, you can't. You just can't do this!" I hollered, as Paul clutched as many loafs of bread he could find, putting them in a big plastic garbage bag, together with some other stuff he could sell, or might I add cryptingly, use. That actually seemed like a good idea. If it wasn't, you know, evil._

_"Yes, I can , Suze. You won't even notice he's _gone_. And I'll make sure the other Diego guy would hit the bucket before I do what intend to do, so Jesse and Maria could have an amazing life together. You and I, my love, will have the same."_

_"Paul, what is WITH you? I screamed at him. "We and Jesse, we love each other. We respect each other. We plan to spend our lives together. Someday. You can't just take that away from us, Paul. You've tried before and it didn't work the least. You just can't do this." _

_"Oh, yes I can. And I plan to do this as soon as possible," Paul smirked, as the bag was chock full of bread and cloths. He also managed to fake some old pound nickels. Don't know how he did that. I didn't know anything that time. _

_"What is your genius plan, again, Paul?" I asked blankly. I couldn't really think with everything that had being going on lately, the first ghost Jesse had been mediating, for instance. That sure put a lot on my mind. And I also had to help him with his SAT's. Wow. Dating an ex-ghost is HARD._

_"Haven't I told you like a hundred times, Suze?" He asked, flatly. "Yeah," I answered. "But I have to help Jesse with the SAT's and all. I tend to forget about stuff when I do that." Paul grinned. "I plan to rid you of it very soon," Paul said, still grinning. _

_"You little son of a-" My shrill, squeaky voice was cut by the sound of a rolling wheelchair. It was Dr. Slasky. He had almost fully recovered and was, shockingly enough, rolling himself around now with out his attendant. The Slaters built a handicap support ramp on the stairs, so it was now just a happy, rolling around life for him. He had even fully forgiven Paul, and had absolutely no idea that his so-called former devilish grandson was now planning the most devilish scheme of them all. _

_"Hi, kids," Dr Slasky said. He had turned from the bitter - sorry to say this - gork he once was into a nice, typical yet ghost-seeing grandpa. "How are you doing? Oh, um, hi Susan, nice to see you again. Now that you aren't asking for any help." I giggled. "Well, Pops, we're just on our way out," Paul said. "Out to a ride in the B." That's what Paul calls that silvered convertible B-M-W of his._

_"Well, fine. Bye youngins," Dr Slasky said, rolling back to his bedroom. _

_"Wow. He seems so much better. Who knew, him talking to YOU, of all people."_

_"Yeah. He's a real medical marvel. Come on. I'm tired of this. Let's just go."_

_"Paul, you might have forgotten this, but I'm still very furious with you. Even though I'm not really all that sure what you're doing." He laughed. Hysterically. So hysterically, that I actually wanted to forget everything and just slug him in the face. I didn't._

_Shame._

_Instead I wryly followed him into his sparkly leather-seated wonder, and sat unwontedly in one of the said seats. Utter silence. _

_Which was very soon drowned by the motor and, of course, Paul's silky-smooth voice._

_"So, Simon. This is how I'm gonna play it," Paul said. "Yeah, well, get along with it. I don't have all day to spare to a… CREATURE like YOU." Paul looked a bit hurt. "Ouch, Suze. Really. Ouch."_

_"Yeah. I know. Well, go."_

_Then Paul grinned and let out a scorching - "I'm gonna go back in time, convince your parents to marry us and live happily ever after. With you."_

_My jaw sagged. "Say WHAT?" I asked. Well, actually, shrieked. "Paul, you can't do that," I said._

_"Who says? 'Pops'?" I was a hundred times more furious than before. "Paul, you don't have anything that belongs to the 1700's me," I said, relieved. Paul laughed. "Really? Or is eBay more useful than you thought?" I didn't understand. It was all like gibberish to me. Nothing but damn, hard-ass gibberish, whatever that means. _

_"Paul, what are you talking about?" Paul looked at me as if I just fell from the moon. "Suze, the 1700's you is named Christine Baron. Jesse was apparently some king, not of England, of a county in England, and he was named Jonathan Monique. Maria was actually Lea Monique, but Diego had the same name, from some twisted reason. When I found you, I looked up the name Christine Baron, 1762-1820, and found, believe it or not, that some museum's closing up, in England, and it's selling some of its less appreciated finds on eBay. One of them was a blue sapphire necklace, given by County King Jonathan Monique, Spanish home, 1756-1827, to wife Christine Baron, Catholic home, 1762-1820. It was yours. I bought it. I plan to use it." _

_Tears were streaming down my eyes. My jaw dropped. I was unable to say anything. That is, until I got the courage to unbuckle and say, "Stop the car."_

**The names in the actual story, the one you've been reading so far before this chapter, are modified, so you can see which character is which. These are the _real_ names of Suze, Jesse, Maria and so and so in the 1700's story. **

**This is the end of this special chapter. There'll be more flash-forward chapters, but right now, for the next few, I'd like to focus on the 1700's. If you'd like to see more flash-forwards, reviews are at your reach! Hope you liked this. Love you all, Dana. **


	9. Chapter 9

**This is something I just felt like doing: Suze's POV. I also got a review saying I was good at it (thanks) and I also just felt it would allow me to reveal some important details. Keep in mind this Suze has the mind of future Suze, not past Suze. This is the Suze we all know and love. Enjoy!**

I returned home by one of Jesse's carriages. It's not like it was easy for him to say a word after what I said, duh. How could anyone, after hearing from some common chick that he ruled for who-knows-how-long loved him. I guess I kind of forgot he was County King Jonathan Monique, not ex-ghost Spanish hottie Hector Jesse de Silva. Forgive me for accidentally calling him Jesse a few times. I mean, he looks _so_ much like him! And apparently, he was a little Spanish. But just a little. He was this proper English boy now. Which reminds me…

I'm not me. Oh my god. I'm not Suze Simon. I'm Christine Baron. Jeez. I probably act differently too. Oh my god, am I like _Maria_? Am I prancing around in stupid balls, rambling on to strangers about my new bonnet? Do I kill men for breaking up with me, than marry slave-running fiends?

No. I couldn't. I'm me. I'm the same old, tough boy-cast-out Suze, I'm just wearing a hoop skirt. I'm me.

Am I?

I stepped politely out of the carriage. I almost opened the door myself, but some mustached old guy opened it for me. God. I forgot. Women can't do anything for themselves now, right? I hope they can. I don't want some fat bald guys doing everything for me. I'm so past that. You'd think I would, after all I did. I mean, I'm not used to being this little teddy bear for others. I'm more like a black bear, or something. But not now. This sucks.

I walked in the house. Now it didn't seem like home. The spiral staircase, for example, wasn't there. Same as the TV room, the computer, or the play station in the living room. It was _England_. Oh, and the biggest not-home factor?

Paul was there.

Yeah, he was in our living room, sitting on the lacy couch drinking tea. With my mom. Who was gushing.

"I am so sorry, Mr. Slater. She really isn't so bad. She never does this, never have. She is such a polite girl, really Mr. Slater. I assume she was upset about past occurrences with her past fiancé, the boy haunts her." EXCUSE ME? _Past fiancé_? I was engaged? To who? "Dreadful boy. Admiral Bennett, he was. Perhaps you knew him. He just very little time ago passed. You look amazingly like him, though." I wasn't too far to notice what happened to Paul when he heard that name. Bewilderment wouldn't be a word for it. It was like he'd dropped dead, just then. Why, how could I know. But he did. He almost dropped the tea. But he quickly went back to his grinning self, the second he saw me at the doorstep. I sure wasn't grinning. But that didn't stop the sides of his mouth from flinching upward to his ears. Like I was falling for that smile, I have too many times in the past.

Um, I mean, future.

"Suze. Don't stand there. Come on, sit," He said. I walked hesitatingly toward the couch, and sat beside my mom. I could swear I heard her mutter "I don't see why he has to call her that, that's not even her name," under her breath. "Suze, why the long face?" My mom looked at Paul oddly, that phrase being unfamiliar to her. She probably thought he said I looked like a horse or something. "Paul. I need to talk to you. Alone," I said gravely. Paul looked at my mom, as if saying, "Is that okay with you, ma'am?", and she nodded. We went to the kitchen, which is where I burst at Paul, and threw my arms as hard I could against his chest, pushing him onto the counter. It didn't really affect him much. He just stood back straight, and grinned. "What is it, my lady," He said. I haven't told him I knew all about his little scheme yet.

"Paul, cut the crap. I know." Paul looked at me, stunned. His tone changed. "What do you mean? You mean, you know about the whole Suze Simon thing? You do sound like her-"

"Yeah, Paul. I know. It's me. I've kind of… Turned into her. In a way." Paul grinned. "Well, that's great. Would make my job a lot easier, huh?" He said sarcastically. "Paul. Stop it. Go back and leave me alone. It ain't gonna work. I've already told Jesse all about it." Paul looked as if I'd hit him in the stomach. Which I have, actually, that day. "What? That doesn't make sense. How did he know I'm here? How did he manage to get something of yours and get here? That can't be-"

"Not _that_ Jesse, Paul. The other Jesse. County King Jonathan Monique. Past Jesse." He heaved a sigh of relief. "OH. _That_ Jesse. Oh, I got it."

"Getting back to our line of conversation," I said to Paul, "This is really not where you should be. Really. Paul, just get the hell back there and leave me alone!" I was screaming pretty hard. But no one walked in. Which is funny. I always get walked in on when I shouldn't. Why weren't we interrupted?

"Suze, why can't you get it? We fit so well. Why would you think I would do all of this, go back in time twice - _twice_! - which probably caused my brain cells permanent damage, if I didn't love you? Just because Jesse's dead, it doesn't mean he's perfect. I'm much more realistic and rational, Suze. Why can't you see that?" I was just about to say something soar about his rationality, when my previous question was answered. When I asked why we weren't interrupted. Because we were. By Dopey and Andy, who came hysterically barreling in, then hauled and stood to face one another.

Oh, god, what was Dopey called? I already knew Andy's name was Andrew - coincidence - but Dopey's name? His name's _Brad_. There's no 1700's English version for _Brad_.

"Please, try to think right, Aaron," Andy said, holding Dopey by the shoulders. Aaron? Dopey's name is _Aaron_? I gotta tell ya, that's rich. "She is not good for you. She is wicked poor. _Wicked_ poor," Andy said. Dopey snorted. "And we aren't, Papa?"

That was when Andy noticed we were there. "Oh, Christine. We didn't notice you were here," Andy said, and my heart gave a wrench. _Christine_. I never liked that name. And now I was _called_ that. Isn't the world terribly fair.

Dopey didn't seem to notice. "Papa, Debra is awfully lovely." Debra? As in _Debbie_? Dopey was marrying _Debbie Mancuso_? Any more surprises, before I plunge off the Golden Gate Bridge? Only…

There wasn't really a Golden Gate Bridge back then, was there?

Then my mom was walking in. "Darling. You have visitors. Mr. and Mrs. Malone. Oh, and of course, Ms. Girths is here from India." I didn't know, of course, who the hell she was talking about. But she was gushing, as always, so I nodded and walked out of the kitchen. And lost every ounce of color in my face.

Because there stood, believe it or not, CeeCee, Adam and Gina.

**Hope you liked it. I think it was a bit longer. Took me plenty of time. So it's pretty late now and it's a school night and I was supposed to be asleep like three hours ago so I'm just gonna publish this and go to bed. Hope you enjoyed it and goodnight! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi! Tenth chapter… Wow… Who knew I'll actually have enough discipline to not get instantly bored and write something else like everything else I write… Well, it's all thanks to you guys! Thanks for the amazing reviews and everyone who've supported the story from the beginning… Oops, now I'm babbling. Well, anyway, enjoy! (This is still Suze's POV)**

They didn't look like the last time I've seen them, of course. Especially not Gina. I mean, _braids_ in the eighteenth century? Yeah right. That'll happen. Her hair was this night sky black beautiful hair, that she'd sadfully piled up in a ball behind her head, with this white pearl jewel. She was wearing this red frilly dress, and brown boots, and this huge stone pendant. Though she didn't look normal. The second she saw me, her jaw sagged, and it looked like she fell sound asleep with her eyes opened.

CeeCee and Adam were standing beside each other, they were probably the Mr. and Mrs. CeeCee was an albino, just like always, and her white hair was sloppily piled with this piece of cloth, and she was wearing - get this - a milky white dress and boots. She looked like a cloud. Adam looked practically the same, except for the fact he was wearing thigh high leather boots and a tight suede vest over this white frilly shirt cut to his abs, like Jesse sorta, and tight black leather pants tucked under his boots. Oh, and he also wore a big brown cowboy hat. That made me laugh in my sleep afterward.

The first thing I managed to croak was, "Cee," referring to CeeCee. It felt like ages I've haven't seen her, even though it was much longer that I haven't seen Gina. She laughed. "Cecilia, but that's rather close, my dear. How do you do you like your surprise? I knew you'd love seeing Jauqlinue again in such a long while!" Cee squealed, then ran over to me and hugged me. I, though, couldn't really follow. Instead I numbly went, "Jauqlinue?" And then Gina came running to me too. "Christine, my I never thought you were missing me this much! Dear, it was ravishing in India! My, those elephants are frightening to ride on!" I hugged her too, but I still couldn't say a word until Adam walked up to me and kissed my hand. "My lady, I haven't seen you in ages, but, it seems that you grow prettier every day." I was used to Adam's compliments, and apparently CeeCee's opinion about them hasn't changed in the near-to-three-centuries one bit. She didn't punch him or anything, because I suppose women just didn't do that in the 1700's, but all she did was send him an extremely dirty look. Oh, and she hostilely went, "Charles," like she was talking to her three year old son. I let out a small gigg0le. _Charles_? Adam sure didn't look like a _Charles_. Just like Dopey didn't look like an _Aaron_. CeeCee _did_ look like a Cecilia, and Gina _did_ look just a little bit like a Jauqlinue. But just a bit. Gina interrupted my thoughts with an eager, "Darling, I want to celebrate my return. Let us walk with you to the park. I could tell you everything about India, and you could tell me about Mr. Paul Slater." She said _Paul Slater_ just like future Gina would: totally catty. She shuddered her eyelids and grinned and everything. Classic Gina.

"Of course. Though I don't really like him." I tried to imitate an English accent with all my might, but mixed with my Brooklyn accent it just came out really weird. But they didn't notice. CeeCee "Cecilia" looked astonished, though. "What? He's gorgeous!" And then when she noticed Adam "Charles'" face, she went, "What?" In this "leave me alone" kind of voice. "Charles, we ladies will leave now. You can stay with Aaron. You two do get along very nicely," Gina "Jauqlinue" said. Though it seemed Adam wasn't so psyched. "Actually, I've barely seen Cecilia all day. I'd like to stay with her." Oh. How romantic. Yeah right. I know Adam, and I suppose he just wasn't psyched about staying with Dopey. Give him three hot girls, any day.

But Gina was just fine with Adam being with CeeCee, since she instantly went, "Actually, I need to speak with _Christine_ alone." She said the name (not_ my_ name, I won't accept that) really weirdly, like it wasn't even my name. Not that it was, but she didn't know that, right?

CeeCee didn't really like the idea, but Gina sent her a face that said, "Just leave us alone, missy, okay?" but I'm not sure this CeeCee knew it that well. Anyway, CeeCee budged, and Gina and I left the house. Gina, with a total karate move, tugged me to behind the house. "Suze oh my god," she said, pulling me to a thrilling hug, suddenly speaking with a Brooklyn accent. "Gina? That's you? God, the way you acted back there, someone should give you an Oscar." I said, my face plastered to the back of her neck. The second she let go of me, she removed the white pearl jewel off of her hair, and her hair was the black, flowing glimmering hair it always was. "How the hell did we get here?" She asked. "I mean, it's like for one second I was this little English lady who just came back from India and… and then I saw you and I was me. This is totally freakish." This was funny coming from a girl dressed in a red frilly dress. And a huge stone necklace.

"Yeah, I know, G. This is just something we have to live with I guess." Gina looked at me as I've just fallen from the moon. "What happened to us, Suze? How are we in here? What's happening to us back home?" I shrugged. "Gina, I don't know. Though I'm pretty sure we're just the same back home. Well, except for Paul I guess-"

"Paul? Who's Paul? I just remember something about him being your fiancé now-"

"Not if I can help it. But, anyway, G, I really don't know. You're just gonna have to wait and see." Gina shrugged helplessly. "Suze, we have _got _to do something. I can't stay here! This is totally hell for women," she said, waving her hands around with tears gleaming in her eyes. I hugged her sympathetically like Father Dom had when Jesse was exorcised, patted the back of her head and went, "Shh, everything will be fine, I know it," though I knew it was a lie. I didn't know anything about it. And Gina picked that up, and released herself from my hug. "No, Suze, you don't," She said, her voice having that snuffly sound it has when you're starting to cry. Gina didn't cry all that much, as far as I remember. It was scary. Seeing her cry, I mean. "You don't know it. We're gonna be stuck here forever, with no answers and no help." I laughed. It was a fake laugh, of course, but still. "G, that's not true," I said. "I have been in situations worse than this, and I've managed to miraculously get out of it. I'll figure this one out too. I always have." Gina mellowed down her crying, but I don't think it was thanks to my consoling. She just doesn't cry. "What do you mean? When?" She asked, still with that weird crying voice. I was a little unprepared for that question, though. When I look back at it now, I realize I should have never said anything about getting out of worst situations. Because_ no freaking way_ Gina was letting go of that now. "Do I have to answer that now?" But I was broken off by the sound of someone materializing behind me. I looked back.

"Thank god," Dr Slasky said, rubbing his forehead, "I found you."

**So that's it for the tenth chapter. I personally, didn't enjoy writing it that much, but how about you? Did you like reading it? Anyway, thanks for persuading me to write so much with your encouraging reviews. English is not my first language, so getting all these good reviews… It was heaven. I just need to stop blushing, or I'll stay this way forever. Well, bye, review please!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Here are some clearing ups, replies to hottaps' questions. First of all, Suze _was_ Christine until she went into her room after meeting Jesse and sobbed. Then she had this sort of a vision. If you haven't understood the whole going-back-in-time thing, hottaps, you probably haven't read Twilight/Heaven Sent. If you have, you probably don't remember it, so re-read it. Anyway, enjoy this next chapter! (This is now Jesse's POV after Suze left)**

She had said she loved me. She said she loved me…

And it all came to me. Everything she described, the bright silvered light in my eyes, the things running through my head… And I simply wasn't me anymore. I remembered the basics of my life, like Lea (A/N: Maria. By the way it's pronounced le-aa, not lee. Just figured…) and me being king, for example, but images of me and Susannah - in the most outlandish cloths - holding hands and driving a car were running uncontrollably in my head. A moment before it, that word, 'car', would make my eyes narrow, but now I know all about it. But, oh no, I wasn't born there. Like she said, I had apparently been killed in the body of Hector 'Jesse' de Sliva, in 1850, and was revived by a young woman called Susannah 'Suze' Simon in the dawn of the twenty-first century.

My god, the king has gone mad.

We were involved, just like she said, and boy, did I love her. I was amazed. And I hated Slater much more than I imagined. You can see why, considering what he had done to her… And she was gone. I remember it so clearly. One day, we were having dinner with her family, her step-father told her to get rice from the kitchen. Then we heard a strange sound, and I went to check on her. She had collapsed on the floor, and had the big bowl of rice broken on the floor beside her. So has my heart. It has broken. Her parents and brothers walked in the room, and then took her to the hospital. They couldn't find a single reason for her instant coma, but they were having her on machines. It was so clear to me; it had been something paranormal, but not a ghost, since Max hasn't fled the room… It must have been something worse.

Something much, much worse.

So now, over there, all I did was sit there in the hospital, holding her hand. It felt as if she were dead, but I could tell she wasn't. Not if I could help it.

I was sitting there at my desk when Clemmings entered the chamber. Fantastic. Clemmings. "My lord, your betrothed wishes to enter." I nodded, laying a cheek on the back of my hand. I remembered Lea was actually Maria, and I expected not to be surprised when I saw her. But when she walked through that door… She looked so different. A lot pleasanter than the last time I've seen her. Well, considering she was trying to kill both Susannah and everybody around her then…It wasn't a surprise. But her blue dress, her necklace. It was nice, any man would confess. But nothing compared to Susannah. _Nothing_.

"Jonathan (A/N: I know first she called him Hector, but that was just so you can see who it is… By the way the king's pet name is Johnny. It does sound a little funny, doesn't it?), I understand you were… upset. But I was startled. Very startled." Suddenly, some more of these odd visions were racing through my head… Diego. Diego and Maria. Diego and Maria… Planning to kill me. Of course. How could I forget?

I guess that could happen when someone you're so in love with tells you they love you in a past life.

"Ma… Lea, can you tell me please what you're doing with Felix Diego that is supposed to put the two of you together?" I asked, and surprised is not a word of what dawned on those gentle features of hers. Suddenly, they didn't look as gentle. Not as gentle as ever, and definitely not as gentle as Susannah, though they might have looked a lot rougher to anyone else.

"Excuse me?" Maria "Lea" asked, disbelievingly. "I've heard some things, Lea," I said to her, this time watching myself and calling her Lea. "That might jeopardize our future together a tad. Something about you and Diego plotting. Over me, Lea. What does that mean?" Maria stared at me, her mouth hanging open. "Jonathan, I really have no idea what you are talking about. I barely know Diego. We only met one time, at the Arthurs' ball-"

"I don't believe you, _Maria_." This time I intentionally called her Maria, to see if she'll remember anything. She didn't. "Excuse me, Jonathan? My name is _Lea_, not _Maria_. What is with you recently? Not to mention that Spanish accent-"

"Mar- Lea, just stop it! I know all about your plotting to kill me! Apparently, such things happen frequently with me. It is time you stop planning this… Scheme. I've stopped Diego before and I can do it again!" I was already up from that chair from word two, and was now looking down at her, standing near the chair she sat on. She also leaped then of her chair. "Jonathan! Please! I have no idea what you are talking about! Why ruin this perfect marriage? Please, Jonathan, stop it!" But instead of stop looking down at her small face - I was much taller than her - I called out "Clemmings!" With every bone of my body. He then ran in the door. I told him to get her out of the palace, and get me a carriage.

We drove through the gravel track like wind, as I requested. There was no time to spend, with two plotting fiancés. "Stop!" I yelled to the old man who was driving my carriage, as we hauled near the large house.

I knocked on the door, and her stepfather answered. "Where is Susannah?" I asked, without even much of a hello. There was absolutely no time to waste.

**That's it. Took me a little longer… I just had the minor load of homework, friends and my first job pecking at my neck. I already have some of the next chapter, so hopefully it will take less time. Love ya, Dana.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi! Nice to see you again. I'm sorry I took so long. Writer's block. You know how it is. This chapter is continuing chapter 10, from Suze's point of view. Enjoy!**

"Dr Slasky?" I asked, unbelievingly. "Yes, Susan, it's me. Nice that you've noticed. Now, we need to get you out of that body, and you too, little lady. You two are in a persistent coma! It's been all over the news: 'Two girls, one from Carmel-By-The-Sea, California and one from Brooklyn, New York, simply collapsed out of no where and showed no sign of life, while a day after, Hector de Silva, one of the girls' current mate collapsed as well, and is being treated in the room next door to his girlfriend's. The girls are now kept in separate hospitals, taken rapid care of. Doctors are clueless.' This is insane. Your souls have _got_ to go back to where they belong, and I have to get my idiot of a grandson back too, and we can all finally go back to normal." I and Gina looked down at Dr Slasky, sitting in his wheelchair, our mouths hanging open. Only Gina was _much_ more surprised.

"_Oh my freaking gawd!_" She hollered, stomping her foot. "_Persistent coma_? Mr., may I just tell you that you freaked the freaking hell out of me popping outta no where and then telling me I'm dying?" Dr Slasky laughed. "You, I knew you'd react like this," he said, pointing and index finger at Gina. "You, though, you're very calm," He said, this time pointing that finger of his at me. "You are as strong as everyone says." I blushed. Yeah, I know, great time to blush. But still. "And you, little lady, there are worst things. The past me is dying as we speak. I bet Paul's past version dropped dead too." Even though I was flattered by Dr Slasky's earlier remark -about me being strong, I mean - I still had my jaw hanging down from under my chin, and my palms on my cheeks. I bet I looked pretty weird. "Dr Slasky, you shouldn't have come here! For god's sakes, you've just now recovered!" I yelled at Dr Slasky the minute my vocal cords started moving again, and blood started flowing regularly through my veins. This happens to me a lot.

"I know, I know. But was I supposed to do? Stay back in twenty-first century and let you girls stay forever, clueless and lifeless? Of course not! I have _some_ morals, you know. Unlike that numbskull," he said, referring to Paul, of course. "Um, excuse me, Mr. and Suze? What the hell is going on here?" Gina asked, using her you-know-I'm-mad-but-just-shut-up-and-spill-it-before-I-kick-your-ass voice. "Well, Gina, you remember Madam Zara?" I asked Gina, like when you're asking a three year old how a cow goes. Gina mooed. Well, that doesn't sound good, but returning to the subject of interest…

Gina nodded, and I told her everything about mediators and shifters and Dr Slasky and Paul and Jesse's previous status in our world. She didn't say I a word throughout my whole speech. She did look like I told I told her I was a ghost, though. If I've bent over and shouted, "Hey, I found a lottery ticket that matches the latest winning number!" she wouldn't have looked more stunned. But then she did something I should have, as her best friend, known she'd do: She grinned and shouted enthusiastically. "Oh my god, Suze! Your boyfriend's an ex ghost? That's so cool! Suze! Why didn't you tell me about the shifter thing?" Se said. "Oh, I don't know. I guess I just couldn't get the chance," I answered. "But one thing I don't understand: How do we get out of here?" I looked at Dr Slasky, then at Gina, then at Dr Slasky. He catched up. "What? You _don't know_? He didn't tell you _anything_? He read all of my papers? Was kissing the only thing he taught you all of those times?" Gina widened he eyes. "Excuse me? Kissing? Details please!" Dr Slasky and I looked at her angrily. "Shut up," We said, at the same time. She didn't look hurt. Just annoyed.

Dr Slasky ignored her.

"You two got here because He Who Shall Not Be Named - aka Paul - returned here to screw things up," Dr Slasky said, with pure hatred toward Paul. Come to think of it, he isn't that much of the typical grandpa I thought he was. Because he wasn't joking with that He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named thing. "You need to convince him to come back and leave things alone, if that is actually possible with the bastard. Then you have to make things as they're supposed to be and come back too. You, Susan's friend, you'll return on your own after they have. You won't even know you've returned until you've waken up at the hospital in Brooklyn. I hope this is clear enough for you. Now, get back in the house!"

We obeyed Dr Slasky breathlessly. It just sounded unreal. He rolled behind us, and we walked wordless to the front of the house, which is when we saw… Jesse, standing at the front door, with Andy about to say something to him. But then Jesse saw me.

"Susannah," he said.

"Jesse."


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi! This chapter is when both POVs cross. It's continuing the last chapter, but the one before too. If you understood what any of that means, you deserve a prize. This is Suze's POV. Enjoy! P.S. So sorry about the whole Writer's Block thing! I never get it! **

"What?" Andy pondered, staring at me, then at Jesse, then back again. "Christine, how are you calling the king of the county? And, Your Majesty? Her name is Christine." I swear I almost burst out laughing. "Yes, I know, Andrew, those are pet names. Yes, _Your Majesty_, what is it?" I said, pretending to be completely calm. Though inside, I was jumping with joy. _It's Jesse! He remembers me! He remembers me!_

"Christine, I would like to speak with thee. In private, if I may. Do graciously enter my carriage and we will converse our way to the park," Jesse said. I almost said, "Huh?" because, you know, I didn't exactly read _Pride and Prejudice_ or _Vanity Fair_ and all of those. So, how would you expect me to understand? So, instead, I went "Sure," and marked Dr Slasky and Gina that I'm leaving.

I got in the carriage, and the minute all the red velvet curtains were closed, Jesse stuck his lips on mine, and only left then when we actually needed some time to breath. "_Querida_," He breathed. "I missed you so much. I was so worried, seeing you collapse in the kitchen. I was so worried, _Querida_. So worried. Oh, _Querida_. I love you. _Te amo, mi amor_." For those of you who do not know Spanish, he said, "I love you, my love." Oh, it's not like I know Spanish or anything. He told me what it means, back in the twenty-first century. "I love you too, Jesse. I really do," I said, and we continued kissing. Those few seconds were so blissful. It was like every trouble in the world had vanished over our heads, and every good memory and thought we stored burst out and hugged us tight.

Nothing mattered anymore. Not our problems, not Dr Slasky's illness, not Paul's devilish scheme. Which reminds me…

As I was thinking this, the door to the carriage flew open and Paul stormed in, and actually - I'm serious about this - separated us by clutching our chins and pushing them apart, using one hand for each chin. "Paul!" I screamed, drifting far from Jesse and sitting, crumbled up, in the farthest corner of this side of the carriage, the one Jesse and I were sitting on. Paul took the other one.

"For Christ's sakes," Paul said, looking away from Jesse, as if trying to dodge his flaming gaze. "Will you stop being such babies? Aren't you supposed to be a snotty county king filled with riches and a young humble villager? Not a royal Casanova and a common low-graded wench?"

That sure set Jesse off. But I catched him in time before something _really _ bad would happen. Jesse attacking Paul here as a king is not a better idea than Jesse attacking Paul as a ghost in a kegger, when no one could actually _see_ Paul's wretched attacker. Though I didn't think he was wretched. I think he had pretty good reasons.

"Don't you dare call her a wench!" Jesse hollered, as I was holding his arms behind his back, not painfully, just to stop him from lunging. "Ooh, look who's getting cranky," Paul said, with sarcasm so great, I wanted to hit him myself. But that wouldn't be such a good idea, either, will it? "Calm down, Antonio. You too, Lara Croft. I'm just here to talk. What can I help it if you to decide to suck each other's souls in the process?"

Jesse almost killed him. He just threw himself at him, not even thinking, apparently. "Jesse! No! Leave him alone!" I yelled, trying to remove Jesse off of Paul. Now, Jesse's strong hands were now wrapped strongly around Paul's neck, and Paul was screaming, "Help! Help!" Like a little girl. "Paul, shut up! This isn't supposed to happen! Jesse please, get off of him!" I urged them both, trying hopelessly to rescue us all from being stuck here forever.

But all of my hopes were shattered, when the driver of the carriage hauled in the middle of our drive - keep in mind, this was a carriage, we were tumbling around pretty hard - and opened one of the side doors to the carriage, and removed Jesse off Paul. "Your Majesty! Please Your Majesty, spare him! He could have not done so bad!" Jesse ignored him, but some people were now removing Jesse off Paul themselves, and I left the carriage with him, as some people and a doctor who happened to be nearby stepped in the carriage with a small box that seemed like a purse with an eagle on it and a bible. _A bible? _I thought. _Is that really their technique?_ They then let go of Jesse, and told him they must speak to him back at his palace, and asked me if I can stay here and forget it all happened, and let alone mention anything to my family, but Jesse told all of these people, whoever they were, that I could come with them. We went there at another carriage as soon as we could, since Jesse's was filled with as many doctors and pastors it can hold, with _Poor Lord Paul Slater_ - Their phrasing, not mine - crying his heart out in it.

&&&&&

I can't say the people were so nice. To Jesse, sure. I mean, he's the king. But to me? _The king's close lady friend_? Yeah right. They treated me like pure rubbish. They didn't even notice I was _there_ until I screamed, "No! No, they can't do that!" in the middle of the conversation. Let me explain:

The people were Jesse's - um, Jonathan's - public and relation consultants. They were even wearing these white judge-like wigs with the blue ribbons on them and the peach colored tights and the snowy-white waistcoats and everything. And shoes _that_ long? I mean, _come on_! They looked like clowns!

Anyway, when we got to Jesse/Jonathan's chamber, and sat down in the chairs at his desk. They said a bunch of stuff on how rebellious the people would be if they heard the king attacked an innocent helpless man - Not - and Jesse might get kicked off the throne. That's when I started screaming, and everyone were looking at me real funny. "Su-Christine, calm down please. We have a witness. Christine, you were there. You know what he was doing, what he was saying. It'll all be fine, I promise," Jesse said. Then something happened I bet made the consultants look at us with wide open eyes, maybe a wide open mouth: I ran over to Jesse and wrapped my arms around him. He was comforting me and everything, getting me up from his chair and patting my back. Tears were streaming uncontrollably down my cheeks. "Jesse, this is just not how it's supposed to go," I said. "What do you mean?" He asked. I looked at the consultants, implying they have to leave. It didn't really faze any of them, I guess, because they probably didn't understand a word I said.

They then left and Jesse loosened his grip from me. But I couldn't bear it. I just couldn't. All I could do was take his head in my palms and move it closer to my lips.

All I could do was kiss him.

**Well, that's it. I enjoyed writing it a lot, though it wasn't easy. What about you? Did you like it? Just review and let me know! Well, again, sorry for the delay. Updates soon!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Now we're really there, huh? Chapter 14, one of the peeks of romance and passion in this story, though there will be more. But I think I can safely say any mushy romance buff would _love_ this one. Anyway, Suze's POV again. I'm so sorry about how long it took, but homework is piling up, I'm working for the first time _and_ translating a book to my language for a friend. Enjoy!**

You know how sometimes, when you're watching a romantic comedy or something, every time the stars kiss and there's this music in the background, you think, _Oh, come on, just get along with it, it's no big deal_? Maybe you don't do that, but I sure do. Every time. But now, I could really relate. It just felt like fireworks were going off under my eyelids, and even though I was wearing bloomers and a garter - and let me tell you, those things are _tight_ - under my dress and velvet overcoat, not the hoop-skirt, I've changed from that - it's too uncomfortable - I could still feel every muscle in my body loosen and relax like I was getting an incredible massage. The way my lips felt against his, it was amazing. It just felt so comfortable and familiar. Not the boring way, but the loving, trusting way, the kind that makes you feel like you just never want to leave the arms that keep you so tight, so close, so safe.

Jesse's strong hands were resting on my upper back, like the oh, so romantic gentleman he always is. Mine, though, were not exactly acting like a gentlewoman's. They were, at first, holding his head, but they were now caressing his lower back, tracing his spinal cord with their fingertips.

We were both in a complete trance, one in each other's arms. It was almost six minutes - I think - that we were kissing, until none of us could breathe anymore, and we had to separate. "Oh, my, my lord, how improper," I said, trying to make a joke out of it all. "How improper of you to kiss me, such a common villager."

He seemed to play along. "Au Contraire, my lady. You are wealthier at heart more than the infamous Lea Monique is at her fortune. And I will bet you are a much better kisser," He said. "And you're so much cooler, babe." I just burst into a gigantic laugh. It was _Jesse_, after all. Hearing him calling me _babe_, even jokingly, could drop me to the floor. It was still in this subtle, Spanish accent that he said this, so you could imagine how ridiculous that sounded. And he wasn't accustomed to say that, unlike Paul, who made it sound like he was some rapper talking to a supermodel.

That's when there was a knock on the door. We separated from each other's arms and went each to different corners of the room, standing in the way I saw in some of those movies. You know, our hands on our stomach, a cold expression. Very persuasive.

Then Maria got in the room. You could tell how surprised she was of seeing me. "Hello. Hello Jonathan. Who's this?" She said, pointing a finger at me. "This is Miss Christine Baron, a _friend_ of mine. Christine, this is my ex fiancée, Miss Lea Monique." Maria looked as if Jesse had just called her a stupid whore, as I would have been if he would have said the same to me. "Ex? Jonathan?" was what Maria said, holding a hand on her chest. "What are you talking about? We just had a falling out, is all. I'm really not plotting anything against you. The truth is, Jonathan… I'm in love with you." I almost fell on the floor. But then I came around. I mean, she was definitely making it up, according to the expression on her face. "You are not, Lea. You are anything but. If anything, you are in love with Diego. You are not in love with me." Then they just went off, both of them, started screaming at each other like I wasn't even there. Jesse said a bunch of stuff about her plotting to kill him, she denied, rinse and repeat. About a hundred times, until she broke. She just couldn't help it, and started crying. Though Maria de Silva isn't that much of an actress, so you could see she was just putting on a big act. "Jonathan, please! You know you love me! You know you do!" Then Jesse freed himself from a grip she had on his shoulders. "I don't, Lea. I do not love you. I love someone else, actually." I heaved a sigh of relief. They still didn't notice me, though. "What? Who?" She said. "Christine. Or as I like to call her, Susannah. _Mio Querida_."

That's when I fainted.

I'd bet that made them notice me.

**That's it. Yeah, I know, extremely short, but that's how it is. I'm so sorry about the shortness and how long it took. Anyway, bye. Next chapter's a flash-forward. Love ya', Dana. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Hi! Miss me? Nah, just joking… Anyway, this is another flash-forward - if you don't know/remember what that is read/re-read chapter 8. You need to read how it ended anyway, to freshen up. So, enjoy!**

_"Stop what?" Paul asked, suddenly removing his eyes from the road and staring at me. "Stop the car," I said, gravely. REALLY gravely. "Suze, come on. It's nothing. Just calm down and talk to me. You'll understand. Just put your seat belt back on. The stoplights, you know," he said, turning his gaze to the road again. "Paul, I'm not joking here. Stop the car now, before I stop it myself. And you don't want that to happen," I said. My plan was simple: We were just a few blocks away from my house. I'll walk. But I really need to get home, and not just because of Andy's fury. No, Jesse was coming over tonight. He could help me with stopping Paul. Though some fists might just get involved. _

_"Suze, chill. I'm on my way to your house. It'll be quicker if I drove you, anyway." I prepared to lunge. "Paul, stop the car now, or you'll be in a world of pane," I said. Paul just laughed. Which is when I was fed up and decided to accomplish the funnest part of my plan: lunge at the wheel and stop the motor. That was gonna make Paul suffer pretty badly, if the angle was in the right place. "Suze, just calm down." That's when I jumped. It wasn't hard. I just rose from the leather seat just a little and turned the wheel the opposite direction. My angle plan had succeeded, I could tell, since when I turned the wheel as sharp as I could, my elbow went straight to Paul's gut. I stopped the car and got out of it, and then made a run for it. I was wearing sneakers, because I've learned never to wear uncomfortable shoes when I go to Paul's house. _

_It wasn't long before I got home. I walked up the stairs and opened the front door. I didn't even bother yelling "I'm home!" like I always do; I only went in and started looking for Jesse. He was sitting in the living room, talking to Doc about some of the 20th century's greatest inventions. But when he saw me, he just forgot about the fact Doc was going on and on about the computer and its many faults, and went straight to me and kissed me. It was only then where he could see the torment in my face. "Querida, what's wrong?" He asked. "Jesse. Let's go upstairs," I said to him, grabbed his wrist and dragged him up to my room. He didn't appear to object, just sat on my bed and asked me what's wrong again. "Jesse. It's Paul. He has a new idea." Jesse seemed fuming. And I haven't even told him that much yet. "Jesse, he found the 1700's me," I said, trying to sound as calm as I could, and sat there in the window seat. "What? Susannah, what are you talking about?" Jesse asked, uncomprehending. "My soul. In the eighteenth century. He found it. It's just another plan for him, Jesse. But for us, it will mean WAY too much," I said, trying to lay it out for him. "Susannah, what does he plan to do?" Jesse asked me, suddenly turning very calm. "Well, in the eighteenth century, you and I were supposed to get married," I said. "You were a king, and you broke up your plan to marry Lea Monique - aka Maria - and did the usual Jonathan Monique drill and married me, a young villager called Christine Baron." Jesse looked a bit pleased. "Really? Well, how is this interesting to us? And to Paul, for that matter?" I chuckled, but not in humor. "Jesse, you have never been so stupid," I said. "He wants to break them - um, us - apart so he could tempt me to be with him Back Then. This sucks, Jesse! It just sucks!" I screamed hysterically. "Shh, Shh," Jesse said, went up to me and hugged me. "Querida, everything will be fine. Paul thinks he's god. He isn't. He won't do anything to us, I promise. And if he will, you know what'll happen to him," Jesse said. I laughed a little and broke apart from him. When I looked at his shirt front, I could see it was soaked with tears. WONDERFUL. _

_I looked up at his smiling face, and I felt like I was floating in mid-air. It was so magical. I mean, his face, the one I had gotten used to see glowing up until about six months_ _before, looked as if it was sculpted by angels. Every feature looked as if it were made just for me. And I don't care what you say, no one, not even Bryce Martinsen, compares to Jesse the tiniest bit._

_As our gaze met - sorry about the oh, so mushy cliché - it was like I couldn't bare it anymore, and so did he, I think, and he cupped my chin and kissed me. But - of course - Doc thought that would be a brilliant moment to come in the room, telling us it's time to go to dinner. This was extremely embarrassing, given the fact our tongues were already in each other's mouths. _

_"Um, sorry to…interrupt, Suze and Jesse, but Andy's calling you down for dinner," Doc said, after finally coming around and being able to say a word._

_At dinner, I tried to be as quiet as I could possibly can. But mom, who always picks the worst times to talk to me about important things, decided it was time to have a chat about my relationship with Jesse. "So, honey, how's it going between you and Jesse? Seems to be getting pretty serious," she said. I looked at Jesse. He was on the verge of laughing his ass off, I could tell. "Susie?" She asked. "Yeah, mom, it's going really well," I said, trying to restrain from bursting into a laughter so great you could hear it all the way to Brooklyn. "Really, darling? Jesse, how about you, what do you think? Do you love her?"  
"Mom!"  
"What? All I asked was if he loved you." Jesse laughed. The wimp couldn't hold that in. "I do love her, Mrs. Ackerman. Very much." My mom smiled a smile from here up to the sky. "Are we gonna start talking about your wedding plans now? For God's sakes, let me eat," Dopey said. "Yeah. I don't like talking like that about my little sister," Sleepy said. "STEP-sister," I said. "Actually, I think it's sweet. The endorphins seem to be blooming in the case of Suze and Jesse, like me and Sharon. Have I told you we're going away for the weekend?" Doc said, and made both my mom and Andy look at him like he was nuts. "Going away? David, you're both THIRTEEN YEARS OLD. I hope you'll have parental supervision," Andy said. "Don't worry, Dad. Her mom and she are going away to Milwaukee and they invited me." Andy frowned. "MILWAUKEE? David, that's really far away! I'm not letting you go to Milwaukee." _

_"Aw, Dad! Come on! We really want to go. It's a great opportunity to better our relationship." Andy pointed a finger at Doc. "David, I said no and that's that. We'll talk about this 'bettering the relationship' thing later. Suze, get the bowl of rice from the counter, please." I rose from my seat and went to the kitchen, with Max close at my heals._

_The bowl of rice WAS on the counter, and I picked it up. I was just about to leave the room when I felt very woozy. It just came out of nowhere, and I ended up standing there in the kitchen with the bowl of rice, with Max tilting his head to the left, all un-understanding._

_Then I just felt like something really weird was going on, something that really reminded me of when I was exorcised, back at the church. Then, I started hovering from my body. Yeah, just like that. One moment I was standing woozy holding a bowl of rice, and the other I was watching myself falling down on the floor and breaking the bowl, from air. Yeah, that's right. My spirit was out there. Then I felt like I was going unconscious, out of my body, and started fading away._

_But the minute before I was gone, I could see Jesse, running through the door, with a worried look on his face. I've died._

_I think._

**Wow. That was pretty long. Again, sorry about how long it took. There _will_ be more flash-forwards, by the way, but in Jesse and Gina's POV. So, see you soon, good old faithful writer Dana. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi! I got to work on this one the second I read the first three reviews that were posted the day after I updated. OH MY GOD. I feel so good, I'm stuck blushing. Look who's story's getting popular… Really, thanks, I've never felt this good. So, anyway, this story's picking up from where chapter 14 ended, Suze's POV. Enjoy!**

When I woke up, I found myself in a bed I could only vaguely recognize. The big puffy blanket with the cream-colored velvet sheet covered my body all the way to my nose, and a brown rocking chair was placed next to the bed. I sat up, and looked around. Gladly, I haven't passed out of lack of oxygen or something, just shock. So I haven't thrown up. Which would have been a shame if I would. Every where you looked around the room, you gasped. The floor was this brown wood, covered with small fluffy carpets in a few places. The walls were also made of wood, and were covered with several portraits. One was of my mom. She wore a brown hoop-skirted dress with ruffles and smiled gladly. The second was of my Dad. Since his portrait was there, I assumed he'd died here too. He was wearing tights, though. _Don't even ask_. The next was Andy's. He was wearing tights too, though I guess it was less excruciating with him. The next was broken. Though when I looked closely, I saw it was Paul, wearing tights too. I guess guys were really loose that time. I did wonder why I, or someone, anyway, broke the glass, and why did another someone put it back up.

The closet was _huge_. It was this gigantic engraved beige colored wood wardrobe, similar to the one from _Narnia_, and it had this huge sun on it. A small wooden desk was placed in the corner of the room, with a stack of paper on it and an ink container on a wood coaster.

Wow. They really used wood a lot these days, didn't they?

Then I heard someone coming up to the room. I looked down, and just happened to see I was wearing the _ugliest_ white satin ruffled nightgown. I tried to cover my self up, just in case Jesse would come in and catch me in my revolting attire.

But I was wrong. It wasn't Jesse. It was _Paul_, of all people.

"Suze," He said, and sat on the rocking chair. "You're up. Good. I was really getting worried." I shot him a razor sharp look. "Paul. What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to sound as polite as I could. But I couldn't do it. It just came out even ruder that I imagined it would. But what do I care, really? "Why? Oh, come on Suze. I was worried. I heard you passed out at Jesse's, and I came over to see if you're all right. How could I possibly sit idly by while you're suffering?" I smiled the most sarcastic smile I could find. "Actually, I find it more suffering to sit with you than to puke repeatedly into the Queen of England's lap," I said. "The _current _Queen of England. I heard she's really snobby." Paul lost his eternal grin and grabbed my hand. I didn't bother to yank it away. I was week enough, anyway. "Suze, do you really have to say that? It hurts me. Really bad," he said. "I'm glad. Enjoy," I said, and with a sudden burst of energy, yanked my hand from his and got up from the bed. "Paul, leave. I'm gonna change. And don't get any mischievous ideas, please." I said. "Of course, My Lady. It's been a pleasure to be with you, Miss Baron." I looked at him, getting my own mischievous ideas. "Paul, bite it. I ain't gonna miraculously fall in love with you just because you start talking like a friggin' gentleman. Because you're not, Jesse is." Paul grinned and opened the door. "We'll just see about that, Susie," then closed the door.

I walked toward the closet as I mumbled to myself, "Why can't the cryptic pain in the ass stop calling me 'Susie'?" I opened the door of the closet and pulled out the first dress I saw. It was this brown dress with one of those ribbons on the waist line, which happened to not be on the waist, but just under the breasts. I also put on some shoes, gray flats.

I checked my hair in the humongous mirror on the wall - which, also, was lined with wood - and found happily that I looked just fine. Not perfect, but fine. I guess that's still okay.

As I got out of the room, my mom ran toward me with her arms opened and hugged me. "Oh, Christie! I was so afraid! When I heard the news… I, I almost jumped off the porch!" I laughed. Hearing my mom worrying about everything happened to be very soothing to me at the moment. "Honey, the king is here. He says he wants to talk to you. I'm so exited! Who knows, he might take a liking to you!" I wanted to laugh. _Take a liking_? The man was totally smitten with me. I mean, it's Jesse. He must be.

As we climbed down the stairs, I saw Paul and Jesse sitting at the coffee table in the drawing room. They were both taking tea, only Paul was very relaxed, and Jesse very tense. But he wasn't when he saw me. He came up to me and almost kissed me, but hugged me in the last moment. My mom, Andy, Sleepy and the whole Brady Bunch still raised their eyebrows. Paul didn't, he just looked a little frustrated.

"Su… Miss Baron. Are you alright?" Jesse asked, after he released me from his squeeze hug. "Yes, Your Majesty. I'm fine," I said. "That's wonderful," he said, suddenly smiling. "Um, dearest Mrs. Baron, may I have a private audience with your daughter?" Jesse said. "Yes, of course-"

"No, just a second Mrs. Baron. May I have delight of your company first, Miss Baron, and then you could speak to the king," Paul said. "Well, I assume it won't do no harm, if the king is not resenting," my mom replied. "Oh, no, Ma'am. That'll be fine," Jesse said.

Paul and I went to a small room, which he said was called the west lounge. "Suze, I need to tell you something. It's about Jesse," he said. "Yeah, Paul, I know. You never have anything new to say. Just get on with it so I can spend my time with someone worthy of it." Paul held both my hands. "Suze, he's lying to you," I opened my mouth and raised my eyebrows. "What? About what? Jesse doesn't lie to me," I said, protectively. Though I still didn't yank my hands away. Actually, they were getting a little warm under those big hands Paul has. "Susie, I'm not lying. He's telling you he doesn't love Maria. But you know what I caught him doing when I came over to get you? Him, kissing her, with you on the floor. His hands were on the back of her head and everything. Suze, they were making out. And you were _passed out on the floor_," he said. "Paul, that's ridiculous," I said. "Is it?" He wanted to know, "Or is he finally realizing that he's having a second chance? He's got everyone he loves here, Suze. _Including_ Maria. Suze, he's coming around. He's finally getting he could really live a good and better life than he ever has. How would you like it, discovering you're a queen, everybody waits on you hands and foot, finding a perfect guy, returning to your long lost family? Suze, he doesn't want to come with you. He wants to stay. If he hasn't been so damn proud he would have told it to me himself." Suddenly, somehow, I began to believe him. After all, I've always worried about this very thing happening. I just began to feel so week. It all just raced through me, everything he said. He would have such a better life here, instead of in the future with me, so why would he bother? That little voice in me that was screaming, "No! No! He loves you! He won't let you go!" Just kept fading and fading away, until it just wasn't there anymore.

Then I noticed the guy who was standing in front of me, looking loving, warming my hands with his. This guy wants me. Real bad. This guy is totally in love with me and I don't do anything about it. So many girls want him. Kelly Prescott actually _sobbed_ when he dumped her. Then why was I so indifferent to him? It just dawned over me, as it were. I looked into his eyes, and I could see nothing but care. So when his face leaned over toward mine, I didn't resist, I didn't pull away, I didn't run out.

I kissed him back.

I kissed Paul Slater, the spawn of Satan.

I made out with him.

"So, Mama, when is the wedding set?" I asked my mom, referring my wedding to Paul. I've decided to marry him. All because when I returned from the west lounge holding hands with Paul, Jesse left, and we later found the royal wedding was back to the schedule.

That made me understand. Paul was really my only choice. And it was now very little time from the wedding. "Oh, May 5th, dear. I'm sure it will be splendid. Don't you, Christie?" I took a sip from the tea. "Yes, Mama. I do." Though I wasn't sure. I didn't even _like_ Paul. I just thought of him as a shelter. A shelter from how hurt I was when Jesse decided to marry Maria, a shelter from being hurt again. He loved me, and that's all I needed. My mom was glowing, though. I've never seen her that happy.

Paul was glowing, too. He just used every chance to hug me or kiss my cheek when we were around people, and kissed me passionately when we were alone. I enjoyed it, but I just couldn't help thinking of Jesse every second I could, and compared him to Paul constantly. It would have been dreamy for anybody to be engaged to Paul, but I just couldn't get Jesse out of my head.

"Mo… Mama, I have a question to ask," I said. "Yes?" My mom said. I had been thinking so much about that picture. The broken picture of Paul on my wall. "Mama, why is the picture of Paul in my bedroom broken?"

"Oh! Honey!" My mom said, laughing hysterically. When she could finally catch her breath, she said, "Darling, that picture is not of _Paul_. It's of Admiral Bennet, your recently passed fiancé. Though he does have plenty resemblance to Mr. Slater, doesn't he?"

**That's it. Please try not to slaughter me too much. I know I've committed a crime by separating Suze and Jesse, but just try to come around and keep reading, things _will_ turn up. So, anyway, thanks again for the reviews and look out for the next chapter!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hi. Sorry about how depressing the recent chapter was. But I just had to do it, as part of the story. Don't worry, things _will_ turn up, quicker than you know. I'm skipping ahead now, to about three days before Paul and Suze's wedding. Enjoy!**

I've been stressing over that portrait in my bedroom ever since my mom told me about the story behind it. Apparently, that guy in the portrait that resembled Paul in such a troubling way, was not even Paul. It was a guy that died just about before me and my mom first met Paul. His name was Admiral Bennet, Gordon Judas Bennet to be more precise, and my parents were talked into get us married. At first, I thought he was this totally sweet guy. He was smart, studying to be a doctor. But as time went, he turned manipulative and jealous. He tried to rape me, as it were, (apparently staring at my upper parts and grabbing my bottom was considered 'raping') and was very disrespectful. I got so mad at him, I broke the glass on the portrait that was hanged in my bedroom and threw it on the floor. Andy and the boys thought as resentful as I was I should not mutilate the portrait but put it back up as a sign of overcoming. Then, a few days before Paul showed up, we were informed Admiral Bennet had passed of no seen reason.

It was so obvious: Admiral Bennet was Paul.

So you could imagine how _madder_ I was at Paul now. I couldn't even look at him. Which made him pretty stressful too. Like three days before the wedding when he came over to us and visited me in my room. "Babe, what's wrong?" He asked, when I refrained from kissing him when we were alone. I couldn't stand hearing him call me 'Babe'. It reminded me of how Jesse called me 'Querida'. "Paul, I ca- Won't marry you," I said, trying to not say 'Can't'. Because I could, it just wasn't the point. The point was, it was too hard. I couldn't even look at his face. How could you expect me to marry him? "What?" He said, kind of amused. "Suze, don't tell me you're having one of those Jesse-left-me-how-can-I-marry-Paul stressaramas. I told you what he did, didn't I?" he asked, brushing a curl of my eye. I quickly got up from that rocking chair I was sitting in and turned my back to him. I felt him trace his finger against my blue cotton dress a few seconds later, and as good as it might have felt, I quickly turned away again, and crossed my arms over my chest. "Paul, stop it. That whole thing with Jesse is not the point. Actually, I'm not even sure I believe you anymore, I know Jesse. It's also the fact that your horny altar-ego from the past does the same things you do now, which proves you'll never, ever change."

I could actually _hear_ his jaw dropping behind me. "Wha--a--at?" He stammered. "Suze, what are you talking about?" Paul said. "You heard me," I said, in a determined, strong voice I haven't used with Paul in a very long time. "I won't marry you, Paul. What I _will_ do, though, is find Jesse and get him back so we can get out of here. Do you know even Gina's stuck here now because of you?" I was now facing him, and he actually looked defeated. "Paul, tell me the truth. What _did_ happen that day when I passed out, and don't even try that little tale of yours. I saw how Jesse looked when he found out about us that day. He was this broken shell of a man, Paul. Now, tell me what _really _happened." I don't know what got into me. I suddenly just felt so determined to get Jesse back and go back with him and Gina to our time. "Fine. I didn't really get there, Suze. I just heard about what happened from Jesse's butler. The second you blacked out, Jesse came over to you. He tried to help you, but he couldn't get you to wake up. Maria tried to take him away from you, but she couldn't restrain him. When the Clemmings guy found him, there were tears streaming down his eyes. They say he was depressed until he heard you woke up."

I almost passed out over again. "What?!" I screamed. "Paul, the hell with you!" I said, and started banging on his arms with my fists. I tried to do so as hard as I could but I was _way_ too emotionally week. I stopped hitting him when I realized this and instantly ran downstairs.

"Mama!" I screamed. "Mama, the wedding's off. I am not marrying the wretched man," I said. This time, I didn't try to imitate an English accent. I didn't really care. But I did care about seeing Jesse, right away.

&&&&&&&&

When I got to the palace, they let me in instantly, recognizing who I am. Yeah, I'm the fair lady friend of his highness which fainted in his chamber while having a vivid discussion with him and future queen, Lea Monique. Even that bald fat guy, Clemmings, let me in with no worries.

When I walked in, Jesse was sitting at the large fireplace in the side of his chamber, reading a book thicker than two phone books and a Harry Potter book combined. He gasped when he saw me. "Susannah!" He screamed, and ran toward me to hug me. "Jesse," I said, panting. "Jesse, I'm not marrying Paul," I said, looking up at his smiling face. "Oh," he said, suddenly looking different. Between surprised and gloriously happy. Though you have to give him some credit for trying to hide it. "Well, I'm very sorry, Susannah." He walked up to his desk and sat at the chair behind it. Now he looked more mournful. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his head. Mine was chock full of worries. "Sorry? Good riddance! I'm delighted I didn't marry the royal pain. Please excuse the pun," I said, also sitting down in that oh, so famous chair. Now Jesse looked happy again, and even a little amused. I love the way his face looks when he's amused. "So. I hear you're marrying Maria." Jesse twitched in his chair uncomfortably. "Yes," he replied. "But I don't want to. She's just the same as she was. And the rumors over Diego make me giggle, how often I get them." Now I guess _I_ looked a bit gloriously happy. So, he didn't want to marry the slut. Dibs, people. I'm a shoe in.

"Really?" I said, looking hopeful. "Really," he replied. "Actually, I really miss you." A thought raced through my head. _What if he still loves you? _It shrieked. _He wants you back!_ "I miss you too."

Jesse got up and walked over to me. I took a chance and stood in front of him. "Querida," he said. "Oh, how I've longed for that word between 'Babes'," I said, smiling, with him cupping my cheeks. "How I've longed for 'Jesse' between 'Jonathans'," he said in reply, and kissed me.

And those seconds, people, were my vision of heaven.

**Welcome to the end of this blissful chapter. It has everything, doesn't it? Paul and Suze breaking up finally, Jesse and Suze kissing after a long separation. I gotta tell you, it's a real mood boost for me after writing that depressing piece. Well, I hope you're happy now. Just so you know, I planned on making the depressing term longer, but I am democratic, so I heard your cries and wrote something happy and romantic. Proud? Well, anyway, look out for the next chapter. Love you all, my sweet readers, Dana. **


	18. Chapter 18

**Wassup? It's me again. Thanks, Isolide Iris, for your very encouraging review. So, I suppose you're happy now, so I'm happy for you too. I loved the recent chapter, but this one's good too, except for the beginning. I'd like to unofficially label it - the Fight, the Search and the Tale. Enjoy chapter 18! (EIGHTEEN!!) By the way, I just checked my stats and… OH MY GOD! I LOVE YOU ALL! (Hint: So much favs and alerts!!)**

"So, Susannah, how do we get out of here, actually? I miss Max and Adam and everybody. Apparently living as a king is not as great as you'd think," Jesse said. I tried to listen to him intently, but I was just too happy. Maybe I wasn't as happy as I was when Jesse came back to life. But I was thrilled. "Huh?" I asked, after realizing he had actually been _saying_ stuff while I was leering at his gorgeous face. "Susannah," he said. "I said I must know how we leave." I was deeply disappointed. "Oh," I said. "We need to ask Dr Slasky. I mean, he _did_ tell me, but with everything that had been happening lately I-"

"Dr Slasky? Dr Slasky's here?" Jesse yelled. "_Dios_, Susannah! But he's terribly sick!" I decided to defend myself. "I know that!" I yelled back. "But what could I have done, exactly, Jesse? He just showed up." Jesse seemed defeated, but he immediately found other things to throw at me. "Well, if he's here, Susannah, my dear bright girl, aren't we able to just shift back?" Jesse said, surprisingly sarcastic. "It doesn't work that way, my dear brainiac. Our souls are _trapped_ here, not shifted here. There's a difference, you know, Jesse," I said, in a sarcastic reply of my own. Let's see you now, Cowboy. "Fine. Well, Susannah, where _is_ the noble Dr Slasky?" He asked, sarcastic again. God, I _definitely _don't like him when he's sarcastic. "I… Don't really know." Jesse sighed. "Well, that's fantastic, Susannah, given that we are already in the royal carriage waiting for the chauffer." I shrieked in stress. "Well, maybe we can go to Paul's," Jesse said. "What?" I yelled. "No! I'm not gonna see that face again!" Jesse looked a bit disappointed of me. "Plus, I don't even know where he lives," I said. Jesse looked amazed, and said, "What? But, Susannah, you two were engaged!" He was all accusing. I didn't like one bit. "In Here, it doesn't mean that much, Jesse. I thought you'd know that!" Jesse squinted his dark eyebrows and looked mad. "Well, you two aren't originally _from_ Here, are you?" he asked. "Jesse, I can't see him, period!" I yelled. "Well, Susannah, that means we're stuck here forever!" I started crying. Yeah, I know. But what will you do? I was stuck three centuries or so back in time and had no way to get out but see a man I was longing to _burn_. "Shh, Shh," he said, trying to calm me down. "Oh, Susannah, Now Don't You Cry For Me, Because I Came From Alabama With This Banjo On My Knee," Jesse sang, while holding me in his arms. It had turned into something Jesse regularly does to calm me down, when _more _ghosts were after me, and I found myself hopeless. That song always calms me down, unlike "Itzy-Bitzy-Spider" my mom likes to think calms me down. Yeah, right. Spiders give me the spooks.

It did calm me down. The second after he sang that first verse, I was breathing normally again. The only reason it calms me down so much is that the first time I got home and found Jesse, he was singing it so purely when I was falling to sleep.

&&&&&

The only thing I knew about where Paul lived was that it was in Park Lane, London. I've heard it was this extremely rich neighborhood for the counts and Lords and all of those. Since Paul pretended to be a lord and faked a big - _big_ - bunch of those pounds, he was able to get a small place there. Park Lane was pretty far, so we drove a lot of time in that carriage, and because our small fight over Paul was over, we were now kissing non-stop. Well, I guess since breathing is something you pretty much need to do to keep conscious, we did stop a second to inhale, exhale, repeat a bit in a few minutes. But we were still glued to each other.

Then we finally got to Park Lane. It was - compared to the other places I've seen in the time I was in the eighteenth century - beautiful. It was all filled with apple trees that were just starting to bloom, and small bushes on the corners of the track. I saw women with these enormous hoopskirts, holding the hands of their little boys. Carriages were everywhere, and if you looked into one of them, you'd see this man with side burns and a bronze cane or a woman with a man and an old woman. Maybe a puppy would squeeze in too. Like in the market, which I had gotten familiar with, people were running toward anyone they would find and asking to buy whatever it is they're selling, like, "Juicy, fresh mandarins! Get your juicy mandarins!". The rest of the day reminded me of some adventure story, and you can see why when I tell you.

&&&&&

In London, since the kings of really far, really small counties never get advertised, no one recognized Jesse or pointed over to us, so we looked like a routine husband and wife who just happen to have a very fancy carriage, which was just fine for us. We walked around holding our hands - that was fun - and asked around for a Lord Paul Slater. Most people had no idea who he is, and were pretty confused by the name - I'm sure Slater wasn't a common name back then, given that stuff like "Arburnoth" _were_ - so we were in a definite dead end. Then, like all those Mark Twain adventure stories, we went into a local pub and sat down, and then - just let me laugh at this one - we met this guy with a long beard almost like Gandalf's holding this big wooden broom. We were just talking about where Paul might be, and this guy came up to us, and asked Jesse if he'd like a broosky. Jesse later explained to me that meant a beer. Jesse just asked for white wine, though, which surprised me, since I never saw him drinking anything alcoholic. When I asked him so, he said that in these times, and in those kinds of pubs, wine barely had any alcohol at all. It's like grape juice, he said.

When I asked the man, who apparently was called Gorton - Oh, my - said that he had heard of the infamous Mr. Slater. When I asked him why he tagged him 'infamous', he told us quite a story.

&&&&&

Slater got to the Park Lane about four months ago, which was about a week before I came along. He was mighty rich, and many women wanted him. He got a small house in the corner of Park Lane, and managed also to get a carriage and some horses. There was one girl who liked him out of all female suitors - Katrina Parkton. I knew who this Katrina really must have been - I bet it was Kelly. I mean, Katrina - Kelly, Prescott - Parkton. It just matches.

Ms Parkton really liked the Lord Slater. She came to his house every day with pies, but Slater rejected her. He said he had other romantic plans. At this point of the story I caught Jesse looking at his knees. He really despised _the Lord Slater_. Still, he would come with Parkton to that pub almost every day - and seemed to have developed romantic relations with her, for pleasantries before his upcoming romantic escapade. I shuddered. _Romantic escapade_. Oh, my I hate him. One day, Parkton and the Lord Slater requested to enter the liquor storage to have a private conversation. Well, Parkton requested it, really. She just dragged Slater along. At first, when the waiters - including Gorton, the so-called storyteller - listened, they heard nothing but Parkton's soft voice. "I have fallen disastrously in love with you, My Lord. I can't help but long for you every second of the day. Please, do request my hand in marriage," she said. I could just _see_ Paul grinning through these words. But then there was the sound of Paul's smooth voice, echoing hollowly through the liquor storage door. "Thank you, Katrina, but no. I have fallen in love myself with a fair lady you do not know. I resign your offer. Just leave and look for someone you are worthy of." Then you could hear a break of sobbing, Gorton said. Parkton was ruined. Then the door swung open, causing the waiters to look scarily at Paul with their napkins covering their faces, as if for protection. But Slater did nothing. He just looked at the waiters, smiled, and graciously said, "Pardon me," and left the pub, not even looking at Parkton, who was sobbing crazily and screaming, "Mr. Slater, wait! No! Mr. Slater!"

"Wow," I said, realizing the things I had just heard. "You can bet that with you' life, that's fo' sure," Gorton said. Then a man, slightly bearded, screamed "Hya, Chap! You might just want ta' get to work, if you want ta' earn that wage'r!" The accent was driving me insane. Jesse had it under control, but me? I couldn't understand, let alone imitate it.

And then, Jesse remembered why we even asked the question. "Excuse me, sir, just before you head off, could you tell me where he stays, please?" Jesse said, using a subtle English accent. "Oh, yes, mate. Right down there, 1873. That's a nice house, i' is."

Then we got out of the pub, and started looking around the place again. Well, at least we're not at square one anymore, right?

**That's it. Again, I want to thank you about supporting my story so much. I'm feeling kind of insecure about this chapter, so can you please assure me it's good with nice reviews? Thanks in advance, Dana. **


	19. Chapter 19

**A quick comeback of the flash-forward! Again, I'd like to thank anyone I didn't already (via replies to reviews) with my whole heart. You have no idea how happy I was. Actually, I'm used to getting notices to every review, but ever since the 57th, I just stopped getting them. Then I randomly entered the story URL and saw I got SIX NEW REVIEWS. I'm trying to reply each personally, so sorry if some of you didn't get a personal reply. I also saw in the stats page that I have 70 hits on every chapter on average. I suppose that means a LOT of people read my chapters, so I'd like to ask you that you'd review too. Please? Pretty please? (Jesse's POV after Suze passed out in the latest flash-forward)**

_Susannah was moved to the small local Carmel hospital after no pulse was found. Like every super-natural so-called medical phenomenon, the doctors had no idea what happened to her. All I did when she was in the hospital was sit next to her and hold her hand, staying with her at night and everything. I greeted all of her visitors, and I could swear that this is the only about the third or fourth time I've cried in my life, and this one was from the strongest reason, at least to me._

_Everyone Susannah knew came to visit her. Father Dominic, CeeCee and Adam, Kelly Prescott (though you could see she couldn't care the least) and even Gina wanted to fly in, only her parents couldn't find a ticket until next week. Even Bryce Martinsen, who had only merely and for a little while known her, came to the hospital. Then, the day after the day Susannah passed out and I had convinced her I will stay, Susannah's mother came to the hospital, at the rise of dawn. I was already up, and was holding her hand and looking deeply into her pale dead-like face._

_And I should know about dead-like._

"_Jesse. You are so sweet, staying like that with her. Really, my daughter really had found a catch," She said, while caressing her daughter's hair. I had done the same not a while ago, when I was awoken from my short, awfully dreadful dreams. "I wonder what caused it," Andy said. He had come too, and was now sitting on one of the plastic chairs in the corner of the room, frowning. "Maybe the Paul boy did something to her," he said. "What?" I asked, suddenly jumping in my seat. Paul? Did Paul cause this in any way? "What about Paul? What could he have done to her?" Susannah's mother looked at the door as I heard a familiar voice say, "She dropped by his house to do something. What's the deal, you think she's going double on you?" I turned around and looked too. It was Brad. He was holding this big suitcase and, to my utter surprise, a smile that could reach the sky. Dios Mio! I thought. Your stepsister is in a coma! How can you be smirking like that? "Thank you, Brad," Andy said, and took the suitcase from Brad's hand. I could not help but mutter "He really does justify the nickname Dopey," under my breath._

"_So, why did she go there?" I asked Susannah's mother. "I don't know," she replied. "But she HAD been going over to his place a lot lately. Andy, do you know anything about it? Or you, Jake and David?" Did I mention that about after Brad showed up so did David and Jake? David shook his head. "No. She's just been very cryptic lately about Paul." _

_I didn't stay to hear the rest of the conversation. Instead, I hurriedly said, "Oh, my, I just remembered. I forgot my day planner in my apartment. I keep all of my shifts in the museum in there, and my SAT preparation class hours. I'm so sorry, but I have to go get it. Back in a snap, I promise," I said. I didn't even have a day planner, but that doesn't matter. I had to get out of there and right into Slater, with my fist, of course. _

_I was out of his glass house like a shot. One moment I was in the hospital room, caressing Susannah's hair, and the other I was running to the door to the giant metallic house. _

_I knocked on the door. Dr Slasky, after a long while of rolling to the door all the way from his bedroom, answered. "Hello," he said. And I, so impolitely I thought of hitting myself instead of Paul, asked roughly, "Where's Slater?" Dr Slasky nodded. "Come in. This'll be a long conversation."_

_I followed Dr Slasky to the living room, and sat on the couch, with him sitting facing me in his wheelchair. "If you mean the young devil, I know exactly where he is," Dr Slasky said. "Yes. That's who I meant," I replied, politely, to make up for my cold greeting. _

"_He wants to get that girl again. I heard them talking. She loves you, he wants her, he's going to get her, and that fo' sure, mate," Slasky said. "What? Why the heavy English accent? You aren't English, are you, Dr?" I asked, in reply to Slasky's sudden change of speak. "Didn't she tell you? About the whole alter-ego thing, before she went?" I didn't understand what he meant at all. "Excuse me?"_

"_Never mind that. The point is, if you won't be careful, you'll lose her." He said. "Lose her? No, I can't lose her! Please, Dr, what do I do?" I wanted to know. "Well, it's quite simple, actually. You—Jessup? Jessup, are you okay?"_

_I didn't really notice him calling me a wrong name. That's because I noticed I was turning very faint, and very cold. Only, whilst I was feeling sick and freezing, Dr Slasky was delighted. "You're very lucky, Jessup! The world is playing straight into your hands! You're so lucky!" But I wasn't feeling the least of lucky. Because I was turning very dizzy, and I just felt myself being removed from my body, excuse the revolting pun. Then I was looking at my body tumbling aimlessly down the couch, face first into the floor. Dr Slasky was looking up at me, and smiling and cheering. "Fantastic!" he hollered. "You are very lucky, Jessup! Very lucky!" _

_Lucky? I was DYING and he says I'm LUCKY? I'm not so sure he's healthy anymore.  
But Why am I thinking this? Why aren't I thinking about me dying? About never getting to see her again?_

_Because maybe, I will. _

**Sorry about that ending. I know, so cryptic it hurts. Anyway, thanks for the reviews again, and sorry about taking so long. Love you all, Dana.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello, people. I don't really have much to say, accept thanks to tennisgurl and maybe that I'm ecstatic it's already chapter 20. I really am flattered. Now, the next chapter continues chapter 18. Enjoy.**

We rode across Park Lane. And I've gotta tell you, compared to the other neighborhoods, this one was amazing. So colorful – though not many nice people. Most of the people in Park Lane were pretty snobby, especially the women. Really, really snobby. None of them would help us to Paul's house. So we ended up riding down the streets counting the numbers. 1567, 1568, 1569, 1570. "What number did that guy say Paul's house is?" I asked Jesse. He was much better at remembering stuff than I was. "1873," Jesse said. "Ohhh," I moaned. "That's so far away. We'll never get there at this rate." Jesse laughed. "Querida, this is a carriage, not a sick donkey we're riding on. It's much faster than you think. Look, we're already at 1646. Look at that, now we're at 1652," Jesse said. It didn't help the least. But he _was_ right. In no more than 15 minutes, we were right in front of a small cottage with a wooden sign hanging right near the mailbox – Park Lane 1873.

"Told you so," Jesse said.

We knocked on the wooden door. This place was really nice. It was all filled with plants and colors all around, and the rooftop was painted pastel red.

Instead of Paul answering the door, we heard heals heading hardwood floor, and then, Kelly Prescott – or should I say, Katrina Parkton – answered the door, looking impatient. She looked even more impatient when she saw who we were. But, instead of graciously saying, "What do you wish, Lord and Madame," like I've expected her to, she went "What?" kind of like I heard 21st century Kelly say so many time. "We have come to see the Lord Slater," I said. Kelly groaned. "Oh, come on Suze, cut the crap. Just come in. You _and_ your boyfriend." I gasped. So Kelly's here now, too? Who's next to come? The pope?

We walked in. It was even more beautiful inside than it was outside. Mahogany furniture were everywhere, covered with colorful vases with lilies and tulips of all colors and kinds. Paintings, mostly of crying women – how Paulish – were hung all over the walls, which were painted in delicate cream. It was really an amazing place, so much nicer and homier than Paul's metal made house.

"Suze, Jesse, great to see you," Paul said, practicing his deadliest charm. "Slater," Jesse said, coldly. Seriously, if I had seen only this side of Jesse – the cold, violent one – I probably wouldn't have fallen in love with him. So I can't blame Paul for having a certain dislike to him. "Where's your grandfather?" I asked Paul, my hands crossed in front of me. I was just as cold as Jesse, at that moment. Paul was so, so not the person I wanted to see that moment. He had deceived me like I was some kind of toy – with a hot ass he particularly liked. To think of the lies he had told me that day, it made me sick. Jesse – the love of my life – making out with his cousin, Maria? May I just say one word? Ew. Ew, EW, _EW_.

"Grandpa Gork? I dunno. I guess he's hanging around here, somewhere. I didn't even know he was here. Is he?" Paul said, acting totally calm. Jesse didn't buy it at the least. "Listen, Slater, you scum," Jesse said, lifting Paul's collar, holding him at it – almost in mid-air – and pressed him against the wall. The cream color – apparently lately done – smeared all over Paul's shirt back side. "You better tell me and Susannah where Dr Slasky is NOW, or I'll make you experience pain so fierce you will wish you were never born!" I was amazed at Jesse's aggressiveness. He never acts like this to anyone except Paul.

But before Jesse could cast this fierce pain he was talking about on Paul – Kelly jumped in. "Look, dude," she said, pulling him off of Paul. "Paul didn't do anything that bad. Just leave him alone and he'll confess, eventually. If he confessed it to me, he will to you."

"Confessions, aye?" Jesse asked Kelly, than turned back to face Paul. "So, Slater, we have some things to confess. Spill it, _dude_," he said. Paul straightened his collar and turned his face to Kelly. "Great job, Kell," he said. "Well, what was I supposed to do?" she asked, totally innocently. "You heard what he said. Fierce pain. I didn't want you to go through all of that." Paul laughed. "Kell, I would have managed to push him off," Paul said. Jesse snorted. "Ha. You couldn't push me off with a rake, Slater," he said. "You wanna try, de Silva?" Paul said, taking a step toward Jesse, who instantly pushed him in a threatening way. I separated them with my arms, and stood between them. "Okay, okay, boys, stop it now," I said, looking from Jesse to Paul, then back again. "There's nothing to fight over, as much as I would have wanted to see Paul cry. We only came here to ask where Dr Slasky is, remember, Jesse?" I said, and looked at Jesse with a severe look. "You're right, Susannah," Jesse said. "Well, where is he, Slater?" Paul laughed. "Why should I tell you? It's not like it's gonna help me in any way. Actually, it's going to make me fail. So why should I tell you?" Jesse broke loose from my grip. He caught Paul and pinned him to the carpet on the floor. "It's about time you stop being so selfish, Paul," he said, through gritted teeth. "And start helping others. Others who love each other and want to go back to their time, maybe?" I tried pulling Jesse off Paul. "Jesse, stop. You're just spurring him on," I said, when I realized the whole "pulling-him-off" thing wasn't even an option.

"Just tell him, won't you, Paul?"

Only this was said not by me, Jesse or Kelly. At first I had no idea whatsoever who said that. But then, I heard rolling.

A wheelchair rolling.

**That's it, for now. I'm sorry about being so short, and it taking so long to right. I have thought of continuing from here some more, but I just felt like I need the suspense, and to tell you the truth – the time off. Here, it's very late, and I have to go to bed. So, anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Love you, Dana. **


	21. Author's Note

**This Fanfic is going on a short vacation. I'm sorry, I just have this horrific writer's block and I'm gonna need some time to get rid of it. I'm thinking about starting a forum about the story, and you could help me out with the whole thing. What do you think? Let me know.**

**Sorry, Dana.**


	22. Chapter 21

**That's the end of this little vacation. I'd like to thank the writer of "Something Wicked", the Magnificent Kiwi, who has put a vacation to her Fanfic too, and made me understand just how bugging out it is. This chapter is combining both a normal chapter and a flash-forward, mainly because the flash-forward is so short. Enjoy!**

_**Gina's POV**_

"_Hey, Gina, don't just stay there acting like you're not staring at me longingly, babe!" Don N.J Evers, national jerk, screamed at me from his hangout with the other jerks and jerkettes. "You're not just going to stand there, are you? Go give 'em hell!" When Suze left, my relationship tightened with Phoebe Gershner, a friend of mine from homeroom. She hated how N.J annoyed me like that, but she refused beating him up, the way Suze used to. "I'll leave them alone. Why mess around? Besides, you know I can't stand having my last time in the movies taken from me again, just because of N.J." _

"_Gina!" My brother, Derek, screamed at me from the door of a near 7/11. "You need to go home! Mom's freaking about something and wants you to report in the living room this instant!" I sighed and goodbyed Phoebe, then started walking toward our apartment building. _

"_What's up, Ma?" I asked, dropping my backpack next to the plant containing some sort of deadly plant I never dear water. "Baby, I suggest you sit down. This is not easy to take in." I sat at the carefully wrapped sofa, smiling at my mother. I couldn't imagine what the hell was going on. "We just got some news from Carmel, California." I felt ecstatic. Then. "What? Really? That's great!" My Mom didn't seem half as happy as I was. Actually, she looked in mourning. "Baby, Suze passed out, of an unseen reason. She's in a coma. We found out this morning. We've already bought a ticket via Internet for you so you can go visit her. Honey, I'm so sorry." The smile vanished from my face. I told her thanks and that I don't wanna hear anymore and went quietly to my bedroom. I couldn't even think about how horrible I felt when I started feeling amazing fatigue. My entire body hurt when my eyes began closing, and I stumbled face down to the floor. _

_Then, I could feel myself hovering up from the ground. Not my body, either, but just my spirit, since I could see my body lying lifeless on the floor below me. The next thing I knew, I wasn't in my room anymore. And if I told you where I found myself next, I don't think you'd believe me. _

_No one in his right mind would._

* * *

**Suze's POV**

Dr Slasky looked horrible. It almost seemed as if Paul had tortured him or something. He had big red spots on his forehead and some of his hands – I'm hoping that's not blood – and he was moist of sweat dripping all over his body. His wheelchair was scuffed and suddenly rusty, and most of it – and most of Dr Slasky – was bonded with loose ropes, which I suppose weren't originally loose. The little hair that Dr Slasky had was very messy and some of it had fallen out and was spread on some of his chest. I had never seen him in such a poor, humiliating state.

Jesse rose from Paul's chest, releasing Paul from an apparent difficulty to breathe, since he had started to pant aggressively. I thought it was of shortness of breath, but it might have been of need to pounce, kind of like a bull. He didn't go at the matador though. He stayed at the back, apparently bruised. Not literally. Jesse didn't break his back or anything, but with Jesse's muscle mass, it might even be possible.

"Dr," Jesse said, with an amazed look on his face. "What happened to you?" Dr Slasky laughed a little. "Isn't it obvious? This devil here tied me up. He didn't want me to help Susan here back to her time. He wanted to have her. Why don't you tell the nice people what happened, huh, Paula?" Paul seemed angrier than ever. "Listen, Pops, sorry to break it to you, but I am _not_ a weakling. If I'd like to, I can kill you, kapish? But I don't kill people. So, it's just better for you to stop babbling and calling me girl names until I start." Dr Slasky moved closer toward Paul, a wide smile on his face. "Paula, you don't scare me. Because if you haven't noticed, I'm not a weakling either, as much as you'd like to differ. I'm well now, buddy. Bring on the good stuff." It was like watching some sort of WWE episode, starring Old-and-Sick vs. Hot-and-Devilish.

Paul didn't do anything. He just turned his look to Kelly. "Kell, do you mind taking Jesse and Suze over to the kitchen and serving them some tea?" Kelly gave him a grim look and signed us to follow her to the kitchen.

I had a perfect idea. All I need to do is make Kelly not know anything about it. I just need her to work along, but I can't do that. Unless…

Jesse was alarmed when I distracted Kelly then punched her in the face. But I calmed him down – I think – when I grabbed his shoulder and said, "Don't worry. I have a plan."

**I know. How short is this. But I still have writer's block and this is the best I could do under the affect of it. Anyway, sorry about the break and I hoped you like this. Please review, love, Dana. **


	23. Another author's note

**Author's note**

**I have an announcement to make: I'm creating a new story, called 'Past Musings'. As my faithful readers, I'd love it if you read it. Please look for it, it's coming out today. **

**  
Thanks, ILWJ, Dana.**


	24. Chapter 22

**I'd like to answer the reviews posted for chapter 21:  
Angelalways17: Thanks a lot, I got the nerve to update, and I agree – writer's block sucks hell.  
jessicamastriani: I know it's short, but let me remind you – I'm under the affect of hideous writer's block right now, and with the pressure of school and a test overload AND a certain national quiz I am favored and expected to win at, it's great luck I managed to write anything at all.  
Double-0-9-and-a-half: Thank you so much, I always appreciate something like that coming from a reader. Good luck with your writer's block – it's an awful pest for all of us.  
Isolide Iris: Thanks for reviewing! I really appreciate your compliment!  
Tennisgurl: I like Kelly being punched myself, but that's not why it happened… Anyway, my writer's block is almost gone, so it'll improve and it'll get longer. Thanks for reviewing and for your good wishes!**

**Anyway, thanks everyone who ever reviewed this story and gave me an ego boost. I intentionally did this so you'll know how important it is to me to treat each and everyone of you exclusively and politely, like I'd wish to be treated myself. Enjoy this next chapter!**

When I turned to the living room door from the kitchen, Jesse grabbed my shoulders and put me to a halt. I _had_ been going to the living room, so now I was with my back to him, groaning angrily.

He turned me around so that I could face him. "Susannah, don't do this, whatever you plan on doing. It's a terrible idea, even the base of it, hitting his apparent girlfriend? _Querida_, that could hardly put us on his good side." I smiled sheepishly at him. "Oh, you poor, innocent man. I'm not going to _tell_ him I punched his girlfriend. I'm not that dumb, for Christ's sake."

"Funny, after this I was bidding otherwise." I grunted at Jesse and grabbed his shoulders as well. "Just go with me, OK? This is going to help us."

We left the kitchen, and before either of us could say anything, Paul went "Didn't Kelly serve you any tea?" and put a couch cushion he was holding back to the couch. I then pretended to be sad and overwhelmed. "Oh, Paul, Kelly hit her head on the door. It's tragic. Hold me." I know, how cheesy. But Paul took any chance he could to hold me in his arms, so he put my awful acting and cheesy premise aside and hugged me. "Shh," he whispered to my hair. "Everything's alright." From the corner of my eye, I could see Jesse redding up, so I mouthed, "Please don't get mad, I love you," which immediately, with a sudden smile on his face, caused Jesse to calm down. Keep in mind, Dr Slasky was still in the room, so he was now making kissing gestures with his fingers at me. I stuck my tongue at him in reply. "Paul, can you go and help her? I can't stand seeing her on the floor like that," I purred, still in his arms. "Sure," he purred back, letting go of me and turning to the kitchen, his back to me. Then, I grabbed a wooden tray from the coffee table. And before Paul could say "Time travel", I beat the tray right on the back of his head, strong enough to bring him to the floor, but light enough to simply knock him out, no concussions involved.

Jesse didn't say anything, just walked toward Paul's unconscious body on the floor, and examined his head. "He'll be fine in an hour I think," he mumbled, standing upright after bending over to examine the patient, then turned to look at me. "Now, what was that for, Susannah?" He wanted to know. "That was so we could get some alone time with Oliver here, so he could tell us how to turn everything back to normal again," I said with a smile on my face. Jesse wasn't happy about this – he was never for violence when it doesn't concern a certain someone playing tongue hockey with another certain someone – but he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and hesitatingly went, "Good idea." I smiled and kissed him briefly on the lips.

"Now, Dr Slasky," I said, to Dr Slasky, sitting in his wheelchair a few feet across us and appreciating (yeah right) the couplish moment between me and Jesse. "How do we get outta here?" Dr Slasky heaved a sigh of annoyance and said, "First of all, you need to gather all the people that were involuntarily brought here, that is anyone of the people that are here and shouldn't be except me and Paul." We both nodded. "I guess that's doable," I said to Jesse, his arm still around me. "Then, you have to hold hands, all of you, and one of you – that person MUST be a shifter for it to work – has to say a few words in ancient Egyptian and then all of the first names of the people mentioned above, not including the shifter speaking. Then, all of the people should say the name of that shifter three times, and then close their eyes. The shifter will say one last word, 'Oraina', and then all of those people will be returned to their homes. That's it." I stared at Dr Slasky. "Ancient Egyptian?" I asked. "Yes. You have to say the words, 'Euraka, Aliia, Ogaya, Oktaya, Irayaka, Jiaa, Oktala.' It means, 'may the gods send us back to where we belong'. When you say that, everybody will say your name three times, you will close your eyes, say 'Oraina', and everything will be back to normal, except me and Paul, who will remain here until we decide to return ourselves." Jesse tightened his grip around me. "See? We can come back. We'll just take Kelly and go back to the palace. We'll say she's fainted and I have a doctor at my mansion. Then we'll gather everyone up, and go back. Everything will be fine."

-+-

For awhile, it really was. Jesse carried Kelly out of the house and into our carriage. It did arouse some questions, but Jesse's excuse was perfect – it kept everyone away from the truth and we were free to make out – pure love and hormones go past a knocked out girl right by you – half the way, until a small awaking grunt was let out by Kelly, starting to open her eyes and sit upright. "Omigod. Where am I?" She grunted, rubbing her head intensely. "My head really hurts. Hey, I remember something. YOU hit me!" she pointed one of her delicately manicured fingers at me. "I can't believe you hit me! You freak! This cab thingy better stop now so I can kick your ass!" I broke into a huge laugh. "You… Kick… Me…" I crocked between laughs. But I just couldn't make out an actual sentence, I was laughing so hard. "Miss Prescott, please calm down," Jesse said soothingly to Kelly. _Miss Prescott_. That made me laugh even harder. "Do you want to go back to your time, Miss Prescott?" Jesse said, as soon as my laughter was soothed down to soft giggles. "Sure I do," she said, a glimmering tear trickling down her cheek. "So listen to us. We'll help you."

**That's it for now. I hope you liked it, and I'll appreciate reviews from you all. I'm pretty sure my writer's block is behind me, because this story went smoothly. Anyway, please review, love, Dana.  
P.S. The whole ancient Egyptian thing – that is gibberish… I just made those words up, so don't count on it. **


	25. Chapter 23

**Hello, people. I am proud to tell that this chapter – chapter 23 – is just three chapters away from this story's end. I will have a sequel, if any of you are wondering, and it will be called "Secret College Society", and there will be no returning to the past involved. If any of you are interested, look for it – but it will be a while until its out, cause I want to finish Past Musings first. Now, the replies to your wonderful reviews:  
Blossom187: Thanks, Lil. As you can see, it didn't take too long. Thanks for reviewing!  
Angelalways17: Thank you so much, I'm blushing like hell now. The Egyptian, like you probably guessed, _was_ gibberish. I don't even know one word in Ancient Egyptian. Thanks for reviewing!  
Isolide Iris: Thanks for reviewing! I like it too.  
Jessicamastriani: I'm totally embarrassed to ask this but… what the hell is fluff? Thanks for reviewing, though I'm not all that sure it meant something good…  
Double-0-9-and-a-Half: Well, that was my cause. I think my writer's block's gone, too. Thanks for reviewing! I always love your reviews!**

_**Chapter 23, Untimely Deaths**_

We went back to the palace with Kelly, who cried all the way over Paul, poor, poor Paul, who won't be able to come back with her. Jesse held my hand as she said that, but not to be romantic – well, _mostly_ not to be romantic – but to keep me from slugging the girl. I was so mad at her, for _everything_ she had done, from tormenting me at school to helping Paul out with ruining me. My guess was, the whole thing with the liquor storage and the weeping and the heinous brake-up was just a big show. There was no relationship or anything. He probably just went like, "Babe, I wanna play a little trick with Suze. Why don't you come to 17-something with me and pretend to be a weeping lord's daughter?" Given the fact Kelly is totally smitten with Paul, she obliged, and relished every moment of tormenting me. Wouldn't you have a sudden lust to pop her?

Plus, she also mentioned how the dress she's wearing totally stands out her full-of-curves full-of-tits figure.

That only urged me more.

"Don't worry, Miss Prescott, I promise you will come back with your precious Paul Slater in no less than forty-eight hours." Jesse is really cute, you know? I mean, even when he's comforting other girls – whose guts I coincidentally hate – he still makes me feel like I'm special, because when he's done, he squeezes my hand real tight, yet soft, and eventually looks at me with this really adorable, really hot smile. It made me squirm quietly in my seat every time he did it.

Eventually, we were there. As the carriage started moving to the main gate, I heard people yelling outside, so I asked Jesse to stop. He told the chauffer to do so, and I was out of that click-clocking means of transportation like a shot. And I was terrified by what I saw.

Two people, a woman and a man, hanging on thick ropes tied on a wooden plank, pale and lifeless, while everyone cry cries of hatred as they throw stones at them. But these were no sinner peasants that were hanging there.

It was Maria and Diego.

-+-

"What did they do?" I asked Jesse, as soon as I and Kelly were back in his chamber, after him being informed of the event. "Why did they hang them?" I was kind of gloomy. Oh, not because Maria and Felix Diego had died. Like I cared about them, they're both psychopathic killers. I was just kind of stunned by seeing my first – and hopefully my last – execution by hanging and stoning. Well, the stoning wasn't really part of the actual killing, but I spilled my guts out to metal buckets enough times today, thank you, so talking about it is probably not the best idea. "They… They were accused of burglary to the palace. Together. Seeing that I was not here then, and mobile phones have not yet been invented, they asked my advisers, which you have met, and they have decided execution is proper for such an occasion. So, Lea Monique had oddly obliged, and persuaded Diego, somehow, to do as well. That's how they went." Kelly was sitting on the chair beside me, and she looked really weird. All confused. But, hey, that's standard-issue Kelly, right?

"That's it? They were murdered for burglary? The people around here are total nut jobs," she went, all snotty. I shot a darting look at her face. "Kelly, they broke into the palace. The king's house. I'm pretty sure something like braking into the white house will put you on death row."

"Oh, _come on_. That's not death row worthy," She puckered at me. "That's like a life-sentence or something, you freak." The minute I lifted my lace-covered hand toward her, Jesse grabbed it and retrieved it to my lap. "Alright, alright, no violence, ladies," he said, darting accusing looks to both of us, as if we were two three-year-olds arguing over a crayon. "We can work it out, words only. Now, Miss Prescott, I'd like to ask you a very important question." Kelly smiled. I could tell she thought he was hotter than her celeb-sweetheart, Johnny Depp – which he was – and had built some hopes over him. Jesse, I mean. Not Johnny Depp. Well, probably not him. I suppose she didn't find it doable. But you know, it _is_ Kelly, so…

Oh, whatever.

"Yes, Jesse?" She said it in a real sexy way, fluttering her eyelashes and throwing her hair back. I could practically _hear_ the voice in my head going, "Come on! Hit her! Hit her! Whatcha' waiting for? Hit her"! But I managed to suppress it by shaking my head a little. "Do you remember how you got here?" He asked her, seeming a little bit like a therapist. "Sure I do. Paul invited me after school to his house one day, and when we got there, he told me a bunch of _really_ weird stuff, but I believed him. So then, he told me to stand by him and hold his hand while he says a few things that could help him take revenge on Suze. He told me to close my eyes when he says Amen. So then he said a bunch of Latin crap and then Amen, so I closed my eyes. When he told me to open them, we were in a stranded field in England."

I stared at her, and so did Jesse. How did he DO that? How did he manage to bring someone who's NOT a shifter back in time? Where the hell did he read that stuff? Does Dr Slasky actually know about this?

"Alright, so I guess Kelly here is not coming back with us," he said, trying to hide his satisfaction. You could tell he didn't like the girl any more than I did. But at least he's good at fighting that urge to beat her up. Actually, I wonder if Jesse even has that urge to anyone except Paul.

"What do you mean?" She asked, getting nervous. "Do you mean you're all going to go back to your homes and families and I'm gonna stay here, dried up and not even owning a hair-straightner?" Jesse got the message, that he had apparently said the wrong thing. "No, Kelly, you _will_ come back. Just not with me, Susannah, Gina and Father Dominic. You will come back with your precious Paul, or, perhaps, with him and his grandfather." She heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank god. Actually, I prefer that over coming back with you. Going back with Paul is so much more to my liking." I did a little thing with my face, this kind of mouthing of "Oh, I'm so special" with a crooked expression and then pretended flipping my hair back. I couldn't actually flip my hair back because I wore it up, as custom that time. Kelly, on the other hand, does not believe in cradling your hair up, so she had all the means to hair-flip.

"Well, let's starting gathering everyone up and retrieving Ms. Pretty here back to her lover boy," I said, getting up. "Thanks," she said, in return to my Ms. Pretty comment, not understanding I was being utterly and completely sarcastic.

So then, we got Kelly on a carriage and started to the royal one, heading to the church, to find Father Dominic. He was here too. How could I have forgotten that? God, I can't keep anything in mind lately. It's even worse than Jesse's SATs.

**That's it. I really think that was long, and I intentionally made it so, so all the "Way too short!" comments will go away. Don't forget, jessicamastriani, you must tell me what fluff is! Well, sorry about how long it took. Love you all, ILWJ, Dana.**


	26. Chapter 24

**This is chapter 24 – to remind you, this is just two chapters away from this story's epilogue. I loved your reviews! These are the replies, including the one I got privately from Isolide Eris, "I'm commenting for chapter 25 of I love you, Dear Commoner. However the review button was down so i figured I'd just send you a message. Anyways, good chapter full of info of how Paul got there and I'm glad Kelly couldn't leave with them! lol. Anyways, good lucky on chapter 26!" Thank you so much, Isolide Eris. I love your reviews. (;  
Angelalways17: Thanks! I got so many answers on what fluff is… now I'm an expert. Thanks for reviewing!  
Xx-SxC-jEsSe-xX: Hi! I see you're new here, in the review page. Welcome! Thank you, it's great to hear good things. Thanks for reviewing!  
Double-0-9-and-a-half: Thank you loads. Yes, the End is Near, but there will be a sequel – though not nearly as soon, unfortunately. Meanwhile you can read my new story, Past Musings, and when that's done, the sequel is up. Thanks for reviewing! I love your reviews!  
Enjoy this next chapter!**

**Chapter 24 – Gathering the Lost Souls**

"It's so great to think that we're finally coming home," I said to Jesse, as I was resting my head on his lap, lying down, in the carriage. "I'm getting so sick of the 1700's." He was caressing my hair – that was wrapped, as custom that time, in a big bun on my head – and then moving to my shoulders, sending buzzing shocks of electricity down my spine, of being touched that way by Jesse. I missed it so much. When we were there, we were supposed to play our characters – he was County King Jonathan Monique, and I was aristocrat commoner Christine Baron, living with my mother and step father and brothers. Though I _have_ found how somehow, Christine and Jonathan got married eventually, and had a big bunch of kids. I wonder how that went down. Well, anyway, I was so exited. Between living in the 1700's, and trying to get Paul off my back, I hadn't had a second of rest lately, let alone a romantic moment alone with Jesse. So you can see how buzzed I was when Jesse brushed his fingers against my neck, then a bit on the tip of my left shoulder, and then continued further down my arm, and, probably by mistake – Jesse just isn't like that – brushed the tips of his fingers against my breast for just a rapid second. Though, to me, it was like heaven.

I noticed that I was getting extremely warm in my dress – I was wearing a cream colored, tight dress, underneath which I was forced to wear a corset, and flat shoes – even though it wasn't warm in the carriage at all, and I only had two layers on, none of them exceptionally thick. So why was I starting to sweat, not only on my forehead and palms, but even on my backside?

Jesse went back to caressing my hair, said, "I love you, My Dear Commoner," and kissed my forehead, which unfortunately for me, was pretty sweaty.

Oh, I know. "I love you, Dear Commoner"? I know that to you, it's a pretty cheesy line. But to me, it was not only incredibly romantic, but totally hilarious, given the circumstances. Which is why I started to crack up. Yeah.

Not just giggling, but huge breaks of laughter, after which I was feeling out of breath.

Jesse started laughing too, his hand still resting on the top of my head. Then I lifted my head up toward him, turned to face him, wrapped my hands around his neck and planted a big one on his lips.

Jesse wrapped his arms around my back as I sat up next to him. We deepened the kiss as I moved my hands down to his abs, enjoying the amazing vibe Jesse's abdomen gives off when I touch it.

Have I ever mentioned Jesse has the most incredible wall of muscles?

Really? _That_ many times?

Anyway, I think we would have stayed there forever, our lips pressed together and our bodies pressed together in the corner of the royal carriage, if the driver hadn't stopped the carriage, and, with a little fix up of my hair and his shirt, we went out to the cathedral – the only holy house of God, or however you call it, in that county – and entered it, knowing father Dom was probably there, taking confessions. Me and Jesse squeezed into one of those booths they have there, and I went, "Our confession is: we've been brought here back in time by the seed of the devil and are now stuck, though we have learned how to come back to the twenty-first century. We just need the priest to come with us." The little window's blinds were lifted up by Father Dominic, who smiled sarcastically at us, and went, "You really must be more careful next time, Susannah. What if I had not been the one in duty?"

"Next time I come to an eighteenth century cathedral in England to gather all the lost souls with me to come back to my time? Okay, Father, I'll try to keep that in mind," I said, sarcastically. Then I added, "Come on, Father Dom, we need to go get Gina and travel back to the States. ASAP. Come on!" Father Dominic shut the blind back – which I did not understand – and then went out through a side door to meet us outside the confession booths.

"Come on, Susannah," he said, then, noticing Jesse was there – though a bit disgusted by his tights, which were just a teeny bit too tight, especially noticed around the crotch area – politely said, "Jesse," and shook his hand. "So where is Gina?" Jesse asked, as we headed to the carriage. "She lives around my house. I can't remember the address. Though I do remember it's a big brick house, around three-four houses away from Christine's." Jesse and Father Dom nodded, and we entered the carriage. The drive was long, though we were fascinated – cough, cough – by Father Dominic's stories about his last days in the cathedral.

Though I wasn't listening. I was twitching.

Because this really bad feeling started creeping up my spine.

And I don't think it had anything to do with the eighteenth century plumbing.

**That's that. I was thinking maybe making this a bit longer, uncover more details – but I've decided I've left you guys hanging too long. So I guess there's an extra chapter now, since I've split one in half. Reviews appreciated!  
Love, Dana.**


	27. Chapter 25

**I know I published this really quick, but I got very caught in the story today and was kinda bored. So enjoy this, and thanks to the reviewers, whom I'd preferred to answer in private this time. Enjoy!**

I was right about where Gina lived. But I was wrong about who she lived _with_.

I was under the impression that Gina was living on her own, maybe with a housekeeper - That is, Miss Jauqlinue Girths was - and was currently searching for a young man to ask for her hand. An _acceptable_ young man. I'd bet with my life that Ms. Girths has a different gentleman caller every other day.

Anyway, when I knocked on the door, Father Dominic and Jesse by my side, expecting to find either an old little lady with a mop instead of a dress or Gina's pretty face, I was surprised to see a man, a rather old one, with silvered side burns and a big, shaggy beard in the same color of his hair, wearing big, clown, leather shoes, a ruffled blue-cream-red shirt and – believe it or not – cream colored tights. To my uttering of "Hello," he said, "Hello, yes? Whom are you looking for, Madame?" Jesse replaced my spot and said, "Yes, sir, we're looking for a Miss Girths. Tell her Susannah is here. I'm sure she will understand." The man nodded and shut the door, and then we heard the clapping of his clown shoes on the wooden floor.

My initial thought was, Maybe this guy's her butler. It could be. It's like in Vanity Fair and all those movies, in which the butler always answers the door. I later realized it must have been Jauqlinue's Dad. It was pretty reasonable.

The door was opened, and a very exited Gina answered, immediately throwing her arms around me and smiling to the others. Then she threw the door closed and led us to the back of the house.

"Sorry about the whole dragging-to-safety thing, but the old man is totally strict," she said. "Who is he, 'the old man'?" Jesse asked. But instead of answering his question and going with the plan – going to the palace and returning to the twenty-first century – she got all jumpy with seeing Jesse and went, "Oh my God. You're the one. The ex-ghost that fell in love with Suze." Jesse nodded shyly, and then said, "Yes, Ma'am. But that's not the matter now."

"So what is the matter?" she asked.

"Going back," I replied anxiously. I was so exited with those two words. Just, 'Going back'. That's it. But those two words gripped me harder than any others. Well, except "I love you" coming from Jesse, I guess.

"You found out how? That's great! Let's do it now, I miss everyone. I even miss Derek." Derek was one of Gina's brothers. Though I wasn't that surprised she missed him. She kind of liked him best, out of all the others, which I must say – weren't exactly Prince Charmings. Not that Derek was, but he was still on the line to being normal, something I can't by any chance say about any of the others, especially her youngest, Johnny, which was, excuse me for being so harsh, a horse's ass.

"So what do we do, Susannah?" Father Dominic said, finally finding some room to speak. He hadn't had a chance to say a word since we left the carriage. Or maybe he was just exhausted from talking so much when we were _in_ it. "I remember it, don't worry. Just trust me. But what we really need to do right now is go the palace, somewhere secluded and large spaced, and do the whole ritual thing," I said. "Everyone in favor of _this_ plan say _I_," I leaded. The chant of _I_s was completely unanimous, as if it had been rehearsed.

And so we returned to the carriage and drove. And remember that feeling I had? The minute we got in that carriage. It got stronger.

So strong, I almost felt like turning back and staying there.

-+-

The halt of the horses driving the carriage stopped Gina's babbling over what she'll do when she'll be back in Brooklyn. Usually, I do the babbling, but I think she noticed I wasn't in the mood. Something just told me to turn back and not to set foot through the castle's gates.

But I couldn't make out why.

We headed to one of the large halls in the castle. I explained to the rest about what Dr. Slasky had explained to me and Jesse. About the Ancient Egyptian, and everything, you know. They listened with concentration and Gina chuckled in the part where I chanted the words.

Then Gina said it. "Oh, darn it," she said. We all turned to her and Father Dom said, "Yes, Gina? What's the matter?" She replied, her hands on her hips in frustration, "My earring. I dropped it in the carriage. It's pure diamond, 13.5 carats. Worth like 15,000 dollars. We have to go get it back." I nodded, and told Jesse, that was already starting to follow us outside, to stay there and guard the place, in case one of those advisers show up. He agreed unwontedly.

It didn't take long for us to find the earring on the carriage floor. That's because it's gigantic. I have no idea how she carries those things on her ear.

So we came back to that hall, and expected Jesse to be sitting on one of the benches in the corner of the giant, echoing room, but he wasn't there. I searched and searched, but he was no where to be found. Father Dominic and Gina had no clue.

And then, I could swear I caught the faintest scent of orange blossom.

**Wow. I sure finished that quick… and it's pretty long, I guess… Success for me. Next chapter is the last one before the epilogue. Happy ending guaranteed :).  
Love, Dana.**


	28. Chapter 26

**I was thinking, maybe I should go straight to this story's sequel, instead of Past Musings, but I don't know if it'll be fair. So I ask you to help me out. Please, everyone, even people who have _never_ reviewed (despite my asking them to), please help me and give me your opinion. The story's almost ending!**

_**Chapter 26 – The Diegos**_

"So?"

Gina folded her arms around her chest, sounding panicked. You could tell by her 'so' that she was disbelieving, yet worried. Jesse was gone. And we found a big hole in the wall at the back of the hall. To my telling her and Father Dominic that I distinctively smelled orange blossom, she went 'so' and seemed disturbed.

"Orange blossom is the scent of Maria de Silva Diego's toilet water, and I'm pretty sure Lea Monique's," I admitted, getting annoyed. I hadn't remembered then that Gina left _before_ the whole thing with Maria and Diego, that summer earlier. She didn't know squat about Maria's death quest after me. "Who's Maria de Silva?" she asked, looked more annoyed than I was. "Maria de Silva Diego is the woman who planned Jesse's murder, and later got married to Felix Diego, the man who killed him," Father Dominic answered. "She later tried to kill Susannah also. And almost succeeded, actually." Gina seemed slightly shocked, but she quickly came around. "Um… Okay. How does that have to do with anything?" she then asked. "Maria de Silva shares a spirit with Lea Monique, the woman that was engaged to Jesse's parallel. She was executed – and _was_ rumored to be having an affair with some man called Diego." I didn't know about the rumors from Jesse – he didn't like to speak with me about Maria, or Lea, for that matter – but from my mother, who while I was engaged to Paul – cough, cough – tended to gossip to me extensively, and happened to mention the rumors about Monique and Diego once. I've kept it in a vault ever since, clinging to any Jesse scraps I could find.

"So you smelled her toilet water. And this is going _where_?" This is the point where I got really pissed at Gina. She really never gets it, does she? "They took him, dummy! They took Jesse! Lea and Diego!" I yelled at her, losing my nerves.

"Omigod. What… what do we do? What do we do, Suze? We have to get him back!" She yelled, finally getting the situation.

"What do we do? We follow the tracks, and we find them."

--

The tracks of what seemed to be dragging of someone's body on the sand – and a small ring that I could swear I saw on Jesse's finger once – lead us to an old, little shack. It wasn't very secluded. It was right in the middle of a street, filled with people. I had no idea how they got them in there without having anyone asking anything. But they did. Oh, they sure did.

The shack wasn't like in horror movies or anything – with a swing in the back, swinging and shrieking sounds of rust, the wooden planks composing it loose and close to dropping, eyes glowing in the darkness at the small window in the attic – no, not at all. It was actually quite cute. It was in – almost – perfect condition and had a nice front garden, growing tomatoes and some cucumbers and carrots. The roof was painted blazing red and the door was painted pastille yellow. It actually seemed like a pretty cute place to live in.

If you didn't know what lurked inside.

The tracks lead us to the back yard, where we found them suddenly ending. Over where it ended, there was a window. We went to the front door and went in – the door wasn't locked.

The inside wasn't nearly as cozy as the outside. A broken chair was lying in the corner of the room, everything was filled with dust and dirt, and I could see a few broken portraits lying on the floor.

I went to them and picked one up. I could recognize the man in it like _that_.  
It was Diego. He didn't look anything like the last time I saw him. He was at a ball. Though he wasn't wearing anything too fancy, I was amazed. The velvet he wore was dazzling my eyes. Of course, it was only a painting. But still. He looked incredible.

Another one, the glass broken and sprinkled all around it, was featuring Maria and Diego together. The sight disgusted me to hell.

But not as much as I was disgusted after seeing the chamber pot. Oh, yes. A _chamber pot_. It was sitting there in the entrance, stinking the whole room up, since no one has bothered to _empty_ it. May I just say one word?

_Ewwwwwww_!!!!!

Diego pee!!!!!

Sorry about that.

Anyway, Me, Gina and Father D went up the stairs, that creaked beneath our steps oh, so loud. Gina shuddered at the sight of a giant spider lurking on the roof over one step.

The upstairs wasn't any better than the downstairs. There were some windows with the glass broken and scattered all over the floor. Thank god, there were no chamber pots. Some of the portraits were still whole, but I didn't recognize any of the people in them.

And then I saw him, Jesse, lying unconscious in the corner.

And I seemed to forget all about Diego Pee.

--

He wasn't dressed the he was before. No, no beautiful royalty clothes. And I suddenly realized how Maria and Diego brought Jesse all the way.

He was dressed in mops – no, really, _mops_ – and one of his hands was holding a half empty bottle of what seemed to be a 'broosky'. Now, this proved it was all a setup. Jesse doesn't go anywhere _near_ beer. If he ever drinks alcohol, and I've only seen him do so once – it was nice, old white wine. Never beer. Never, ever beer. They must have 'walked' him to the backyard unconscious, when everyone thought he was drunk, and then elevated him up the window. Thank God, they haven't killed him. His chest was rising and falling with deep breaths.

And then I heard it. A loud thump, and a sound of speech. Father Dominic seemed to have heard it too. Only Gina hasn't. From this I concluded that this must be them, in their ghostly glory.

I started walking in the direction of the thump. Yes, I know. I'm totally nuts. Walk right in the path of danger? Yes, very clever of me, you must think. But I knew I had to get this over with. I had to get them the hell out of my life, and Jesse's, and everyone else's.

Then I heard another sound of speech. It was definitely a man. I still couldn't quite make it out, until I was standing out of a large, wooden door. Then I could hear Diego's delectable voice as clear as ever. "We have to kill de Silva," he said. This caused me not only fear – he was talking about killing the love of my life here – but amazement. I was certain he had no idea of the connection between Jonathan Monique and Jesse de Silva. But apparently, they have known. I was pretty shocked, let me tell you. I almost let out a little gasp.

"But we need to get her here," I then heard a woman's voice say, with the slightest Spanish accent. "If she will come and find him dead, she will be too furious. Listen to me, Felix. She is too much to handle when she is mad. You have seen the outcome of her wrath yourself, my love. Do not repeat it." It was Maria. I was sure of it. And I was also sure who they were speaking of.

Now, both Father Dominic and Gina were standing by me, listening. Only Father Dominic, of course, heard it all, and appeared to be shocked. Gina, however, never heard a thing, but she was smart enough not to say anything, just speak when she is spoken to.

I kept listening. "Maria, it is too late. Soon, he will wake to find himself here, and I will not let him go insane. It is jut as dangerous. We must kill him, before it is too late. Before all hell breaks loose."

Then I heard something else. It sounded like… a groan. Coming from the room where Jesse lay. And this time, Gina heard it too. And, from the looks of it, so did the lovely Diegos. They both seemed to shift and gasp sacredly when they heard it. Wow. Apparently, since what Jesse had done to them at the church, they've developed something of a fear of him.

We ran back to the other room, and were surprised to see Jesse awake, amazed with what he was holding. I came to his assistance, because he seemed pretty lost.

"They took you. It was a setup, just to get me here. They want to kill the both of us." Jesse noticed me and stood up – it wasn't all that easy for him – and ran to me, burying me in his embrace. When he broke apart, he looked at me, still holding my hands, uncomprehending. "What happened?" he asked, sending me sinking in the dark pools that were his eyes. "Well… they took you. Maria and Diego. When we went to get Gina's earring, they found you… and they brought you here. And they made sure they left tracks and the door opened, so I could march right in, so I could die."

Jesse looked stunned out of his mind. "Querida," he cooed, and held me in his arms for a few more seconds. Then I heard Gina – a very confused Gina – ask Father Dominic, "What? What is she talking about?" and then Father Dom explained it to her as quietly as he could. When he was done – I was still in Jesse's arms – she gasped and went, 'Oh,' suddenly understanding what was happening. And by her Oh, I could tell she was growing to despise the Diegos just as much as I do.

Then, we all – even Gina, this time – heard a loud thump, followed by – this part Gina didn't hear – a deep, masculine voice say, "There's people. Back there." I recognized it as Diego's. We all stared at the door where his voice came from, except Gina, who just stared at everyone else with a face aching to go, 'what?'

Then the door opened. It was so scary, because – and I'm sure Gina found it a lot scarier – the door just flung open so hard, and then all the mediators in the room saw Diego, very angry, storming out to the room screaming, "Alright, mediators, time to die!"

I swear, even though I was scared out of my mind, I burst out laughing. Because, seriously, how action-movie-cliché is that?

"Stop laughing, mediator! It seems to me that you underestimate death. How about I change that?" Then Maria came out, and grabbed Diego's arm. "Look at that, darling. We have company. More than what we expected." Gina, suddenly noticing something different, said, "God, it's freezing in here!"

"You brought someone here without the gift. Foolish," Diego said, moving towards Gina. My first instinct was to yell, "Gina! Run!" but I was frozen. That one word Diego said in such a freighting way, 'Foolish', struck me like a lightning bolt. And it appeared it did to everyone that way as well, because everyone – including Jesse, still holding my arm protectively – were deathly silent. Excuse the pun.

Gina was just wrapping her arms around her chest to warm herself a little, when Diego grabbed her dress from the neck and lifted her a few inches in the air. She screamed and said, "What the hell is happening to me?" Only, she didn't say _hell_.

"My God," Maria said, moving towards her lover and Gina, who was starting to cry – and Gina _never_ cries – and wondering out loud why no one was helping her, just staring with their mouths open. "How these twenty-first century ladies talk, it's dreadful." Diego laughed. "Yes, Maria. We must punish her," Diego replied. He then threw her to the floor, after lifting her seven feet over the floor, face first. "No!" I yelled running towards Gina, lying ever so quietly on the floor. "My God, you scum-bag, you're gonna pay for this!" I screamed, pulling my fist back, ready to take a lunge. "You need to learn some manners, mediator," Diego hissed, lifting me up too and tying me with a rope lying in the corner beside him, to the corner. Jesse, who tried to get back on him _and_ let me go, ended up the same way, after a few descent punches, that turned his cheek and eye into a big, red pulp. Father Dominic was on the floor by Gina, trying to get a word out of her. But then, they saw him. One fist – from Maria, no less, I'm not kidding, _she_ asked Diego to do it – sent him sprawling on the floor. I was speechless, and so was Jesse, and we both started gasping for breath, even though our air supply wasn't any different than it was a few minutes ago.

Then, Diego was pulling a knife out of his boot. His smile was broader than I'd even seen it. Then he went, in his heavy Spanish accent, "How do you say? Ah, yes. 'Hasta la Vista, baby,'" and aimed the knife to my throat.

He was just about to cut my throat open over Jesse's yelling and tears, when the front door opened, and the running upstairs, sounding both heavy boots and dainty heals, shut Diego up and froze both him and his lady love. Then, Paul was bursting in, Kelly close at his heal, holding a much bigger knife than Diego's, and said, "Okay, who's ass am I going send back to the underworld today?"

**That's it. Wow, this chapter was _so_ long. Over _242_0 words! But I really loved writing it. Please help me and review, also replying on this very hard-worked chapter and helping me out with the whole sequel thing. Next chapter is the epilogue. Sorry, everyone who's sad the story's ending… If there's anyone that is.  
Love, Dana. **


	29. Epilogue All Questions Answered

**This chapter is a very special chapter, at least to me. It is my very, very first epilogue and first finished story. I'm extremely ecstatic! I've never imagined it to end up that way… Though I am very disappointed about the tiny number of reviews I got, even though I asked _everyone_ to review, and only like 3 actually reviewed. Though I've decided to go straight to the sequel, without _your_ help. Anyway, this is a chapter where all unanswered, vague questions are answered and a happy ending creeps in the door. Thank you so much for sticking to this story, even though only 10 maximum of my readers reviewed, and that insulted me in a way. So _please_, when I get to the sequel, be nice and review. I'm insecure enough. By the way, the sequel's name is "Secret College Society", like I've mentioned a few chapters ago. Look for it, it's coming out very soon! Enjoy this spectacular epilogue! **

**_Epilogue – All Questions Answered _**

I woke up the next morning in the Carmel Hospital, a big smile on my face. I sat up, and reached for my hair. The last time I've seen it, it's been pulled up to a bun with expensive, authentic jewelry. Now, it was very messed up, given the fact that I have, as far as I knew, been lying in bed for a very, very long time. Then, I looked at the little bed-side table by me. It had some large bouquets and several cards on it. I noticed someone had put up the portrait of Jesse on it, too. I supposed it was CeeCee, since she's the only one who knew where it was.

Last night was a happy, yet scary memory. After Paul burst in the door, and made sure both Maria and her murderous lover boy will never return to our world in any form, I, Jesse, Gina and Father Dominic came back to the palace, and did the whole ritual thing, me being the conductor. And now it was morning time, the twentieth century – thank God – and I was in a hospital, and, if Dr Slasky had being saying the truth, just a hospital room away from the love of my life.

Then the door opened. My mom squealed of happiness and almost dropped the cappuccino she was holding, seeing me awake. For the past two months, I think, she'd been stressing and unhappy, with her only daughter lying, appearing lifeless, in a hospital bed. Now, she was surprised to see that daughter sitting up normally just like any other day.

She squealed "Susie!" happily and ran over to hug me. "Baby," she squealed again, while holding me in her arms. "Hi, Mom," I replied, wrapping my arms around her. "When did you wake up? I left to get coffee like thirty minutes ago. I can't believe… I can't believe, I, I left you here all alone…" she muttered excitedly.

"It's okay, Mom," I told her, starting to laugh. Last time I'd seen mom, or at least her parallel in the 1700's, she'd stressed a lot less. She was more like… a gossipy kind of aristocrat, like Mrs. Bennet in _Pride and Prejudice_, only a lot less selfish. Now she was back in normal, just like I liked it.

"I woke up just a second ago," I said, and then, to make it look like my coma hadn't had anything to do with a paranormal activity, I added, "God, Mom, what happened to me? How long have I been asleep?"

My mom then gushed to me about what's been going on, about how they found me and how they later found Jesse and how worried they were and how happy she is to see me awake. I laughed quietly through the whole thing.

Then, a knock was heard on the door. My mom went, "Yes," and Jesse walked in, wearing an extremely broad smile. "Hello," he said to us, and walked further in the room, toward me. He then politely asked my mom if we could have a moment alone, and she complied, though not that pleased. But she still loved him. She adored his gentleman nature just as much as I did.

"Last night was… Unbelievable," He said, caressing my cheek with the back of his hand. "I completely agree," I said, smiling happily. This was truly one of the greatest moments in my life. He then lowered his lips – he was already lying beside me on the hospital bed – and pressed them ever so lightly on mine, making my whole body tingle. I know, this wasn't exactly a romantic setting. We were both in a pretty smelly hospital room, his face was remained unshaved so some of his facial hair was tingling my lips, which I didn't like all that much, the fluorescent was looming over us – not exactly old street lights in Paris under a snowy, starry night – and we were both wearing hideous hospital robes – thank Heaven's, not the ones that leave the butt showing, like in _Something's Gotta Give_. Thank God, or I would have barfed.

Yes, I agree with you, the setting was anything _but_ romantic, but we just got into each other's minds so deeply, we might as well have been in a gondola in the middle of a beautiful canal in Venice, listening to the sounds of birds singing away, as well as the opera singer you always see in those Italian movies.

After like six minutes of kissing, not violent tongue and sexy gestures, but tender, loving combination of our lips, aching to meet each other after such difficulty and pain, a nurse walked in, apologized to interrupt us, and told us that they have to have some tests and then they'd let us go.

"Shall we go?" Jesse said, using his very good English accent, the one he'd used in the 1700's.

"We shall," I replied, finally managing to sound truly English.

--

Obviously, they didn't find anything wrong with us at all, and not with Father Dominic either, and they let us go.

"Where should we go? My place or yours?" Jesse asked, holding my hand, as we headed to the hospital parking lot. We have started a tradition lately, we go to one of our homes, we watch a movie I pick, and then, I help him (when he needs my help) with his SATs prep books and exam preparations. After that we make out on his couch/my bed for like forty minutes and say goodbye. It's the best tradition I've ever had.

"Actually, I need to sort out a couple of things," I said. "It's really important. But I'll call you later, okay? And this time, _you_ get to pick the movie, and we double the make-out-session, plus bra action." Jesse smiled. Not a grim smile, considering the whole bra thing – I know he doesn't really like to do stuff like that, the whole nineteenth-century gentleman thing – but a sweet smile, just happy to know I'm available for him full-time, and knowing how much I love him. And I know he loves me.

The universe is finally being fair.

My mom drove me to the Slater household. As I pulled up by the shiny house, some questions popped up in my mind. Even though I just wanted to thank Paul for his help with the Diegos, I got an urge to stop by Dr Slasky's too.

I knocked on the door. Paul answered, and smiled right away. "Suze, great to see you back to normal again," he said. I admit it, I really agreed. After I got my hair straightened out and put on some decent clothes and make up, and catched a look at myself in the mirror, I could notice a significant improvement than the last time I've taken a glance at myself. I looked so much better than the 1700's me. _So_ much better. I knew Paul preferred it. Though he didn't matter to me at all as long as Jesse liked it.

"What do you need from my humble abode, Madame?" Paul asked. "Oh, actually, I… I came to see your grandfather. I mean, not that I'm not grateful—"

"Don't worry about it, Suze," Paul said, melting his surroundings with that grin of his. "I know you're grateful."

I smiled at him, and, just as he was about to go upstairs to his bedroom, stopped him in his tracks, placing my palm on his chest. "Hey, wait a second, I've got something I want to know," I said, my lips twisting into a suspicious smile. "Yes," he asked, hopefully. He was still hoping, in a way, that I'd end up with him. "About Kelly. If she came with you, not like us, how did the word get around about your relationship, about that fight in the liquor storage? Oh, and, how did you get someone not a shifter back in time?" Paul kept on smiling. "About the fight thing, that was just a fib. We performed that whole thing and used pepper spray for Kelly's sobbing. We also paid Gorton, that waiter guy in the pub, to tell everyone asking about me to tell the story. I figured it would make you a little less… Taken aback. And about the whole back in time thing, it's easy. Written all over the wall. Look for it."

"But—"

But before I could ask him again, he was off in his room, doing God knows what. And I was off in Dr Slasky's room's direction.

His attendant wasn't there. It was just him, in a bed – not a hospital bed – his wheelchair by it, and he was watching _The Price Is Right_. "Dr," I greeted him, waving my fingers. "Hi, Susan," he replied, his eyes glued to the TV. "Dr, I have some questions I need to ask you."

"Go on ahead, as long as it doesn't take long. I'm not gonna miss the winner here," he whined, still not turning his head anywhere away from the TV, watching some lady looking exited, probably because the other contestant was going down.

"Well, first of all, I was wondering… Why was Gina and Father Dominic there, but when my mom and Andy and CeeCee and Adam and everybody saw me, they were all the same? Why didn't they turn up?"

Dr Slasky finally turned his gaze from the television set to me. "You're saying… You're asking… Wow, you really are a bright little lady."

My cheeks burned of vanity. Bright? Huh. Interesting.

"What…. What do you mean?" I asked, staring at his dry lips, as if the words would jump out of them in bold print and I would know the secret of life. "I've seen things like this before," Dr Slasky admitted, "But no one ever noticed. You, Missy, are the first one." I blushed, smiling just a little. "So? Answer me, Dr," I declared, trying to make it look like I didn't give a damn about weather I was smart or not. "Those people, were meaningless to your fate. It wouldn't have done you, the 'Good Guys', any good if they would have turned up. The priest showed up so you could get the idea to confess to Jessup, so he could remember. Gina turned up so she would lose her earring. If Jessup wouldn't have gotten abducted by those ghosts, Paul wouldn't have changed his mind."

"What?" I asked, not getting, really, anything he was saying.

"To come back, the man who made the whole thing happen, aka Paul Slater, had to change his mind about you. He had to understand the right way of things, and if Jesse wouldn't have gotten abducted, and he wouldn't have seen the things in the shack, he wouldn't have given you up. He only did because he saw it – the tears in Jessup's eyes when the man was trying to kill you. He saw Jessup, who, according to Paul, is a strong and un-attached to his feminine side type of man, crying over you, not only a few tears, but serious sobbing. It was then that he understood, that all senses came to him, that he realized Jessup is actually the man for you."

I gasped. "Well, how did he know Jesse was crying?" I asked, when just a little bit of the shock was removed from me. "He had a telescope. His first plan when he found out about those ghosts' plan, was to be the hero and save the day, so he could make Jessup underestimated. But then he saw it and… He figured it out."

I went out of the house, my blood coming to a halt in my veins. He finally got it. _He finally got it_. Now I could live forever with Jesse, just like I've always _dreamt_.

The night with Jesse was incredible. My mom let me spend the night at Jesse's, but, obviously, nothing happened more than some making out on Jesse's bed, in which I ended up with my sweater off, but Jesse didn't like how that was, so he stopped it. After I convinced him to share his bed, promising nothing to happen, we slept in each other's arms, a big smile on both our faces. And I was finally happy.

Gloriously, incredibly happy.

**That's it! It's over! _My very first story_! Thanks to everyone who supported this story from the start, and all my reviewers. I _am_ disappointed of the tiny number of reviews I got. I hope you'll come to your senses and review this time… I really am insulted!  
The sequel's coming out sometime this week, and it will be called 'Secret College Society'. I hope all of you will look out for it, that's what I expect from anyone who liked the story. It will occur in the end of Suze's senior year, while looking for colleges. No, there will not be any going back in time involved… There's an answer for some of ya'.  
Love you all, and happy Valentine's Day, Dana. **

**Yay!! I just ended my first story! **


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